Washingtunnationals Baseball Betting News

<< Rapids hand three-year extension to technical director Bravo
Commerce City, CO (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Colorado Rapids announced on Wednesday that the club has signed technical director Paul Bravo to a three- year contract extension. Bravo has presided over Colorado's soccer operations since

<< Flames ink C Kolanos
Calgary, AB (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Calgary Flames signed forward Krys Kolanos to a two year, two-way contract and recalled him from Abbotsford of the American Hockey League on Wednesday. The 30-year-old Calgary native has appeared

<< Ljubicic falls; Dodig wins Zagreb opener
Zagreb, Croatia (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Croatian tennis hero Ivan Ljubicic went by way of a second-round upset, while reigning champion Ivan Dodig of the host nation was an opening-round winner Wednesday at the Zagreb Indoors tennis event.

<< Blue Jays sign P Cordero
Toronto, ON (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Blue Jays have signed pitcher Francisco Cordero to a one-year contract worth $4.5 million, the team announced Wednesday. Cordero, 36, spent the last four season with the Reds. He posted a 2.45

Patriots try to settle score with Giants in Super Bowl XLVI >>
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The stage may be different and new, but there will be a very familiar feel to Super Bowl XLVI. Just like they did four years ago, the New York Giants and New England Patriots will battle for the coveted crown of NFL champi

New record purse for Daytona 500 >>
Daytona Beach, FL (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Officials from Daytona International Speedway announced Wednesday a record purse of more than $19 million for the February 26 season-opening Daytona 500. The purse for NASCAR's most prestigious

Umenyiora fined $20k for missing media session >>
Indianapolis, IN (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - New York Giants defensive end Osi Umenyiora was fined $20,000 for missing a mandatory 45-minute interview session with the media on Wednesday. Umenyiora said in a statement issued by the G

NHL fines Boulton, Boll $2,500 each >>
New York, NY (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The National Hockey League on Wednesday fined New Jersey Devils forward Eric Boulton and Columbus Blue Jackets forward Jared Boll $2,500 for separate incidents. Boulton was docked for his slash on New Yor

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.