Sunday was a masterful day for Mahan who had to rally from four strokes down in order to win the tournament. He finished the last two rounds of the tournament bogey-free and became the 8th U.S. golf player in his 20’s to win more than one tournament. Mahan was sort of a forgotten man in the golf sportsbook as he was going off at higher than 20 to 1 to odds to win the Phoenix Open.

Even though it ended up being Mahan’s day, the real story to come out of the Phoenix Open is 21 year old Rickie Fowler. Fowler, the balley-hooed player from Oklahoma State the same school that produced Hunter Mahan, shot a brilliant final round 68 to finish a stroke off of Mahan. Fowler didn’t shoot anything higher than a 69 in all four rounds. Although he’s missed the cut in three tournaments in 2010, the Sony Open, Bob Hope Classic, and Northern Trust Open, he scored a 5th place finish in the Farmers Insurance Open and a 27th place finish in the AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro Am.

Fowler is one to watch. If he continues to improve his game, then he could end up being a solid play in the golf sportsbook to both win and beat his opponent in individual matchups.

Brandt Snedeker, who was leading in the Waste Management Phoenix Open after the 3rd Round, proved that sometimes the pressure can be just a bit too much. Snedeker shot a ridiculous 78 on Sunday to finish at -7, 9 strokes off of winner Hunter Mahan. Snedeker dropped from 1st to 43rd in the tournament. He just didn’t have it on Sunday even though up until that disastrous 4th Round, he had been putting as well as anybody on the PGA Golf Tour.

Snedeker wasn’t the only one who didn’t have it, however. Phil Mickelson, who has gone off the favorite in every single tournament that he’s entered with Tiger Woods in rehab, finished at -9. That’s golf better than what Snedeker did, but Snedeker was going off at higher than 20 to 1 odds in the golf sportsbook to win the Phoenix Open.

Mickelson was going off at +750. Mickelson hasn’t won a tournament yet in 2010. In all four of the tournament’s he’s played in, Lefty has gone off as the favorite. What he has to show for is only one Top 10 finish, an 8th in the AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am, and a reputation as a big time underlay in the golf sportsbook. Lefty will most likely skip the Honda Classic, this week’s tournament, which is a blessing to sports gamblers who won’t have to decide if the real Mickelson is going to show up this week or not.

Y.E. Yang, the man who upset Tiger Woods to win the 2009 USPGA Golf Championship, signaled his return to the upper echelon of golf with a 3rd place finish in the Phoenix Open this past week. Yang was a big overlay in the sportsbook to win the Phoenix Open. He won’t be this week as golfers descend upon PGA National Resort and Spa in Palm Beach, Florida, for the Honda Classic.

Last year, Yang won the Honda Classic by shooting a 9 under 271. He was a surprise winner of the Honda Classic in 2009. He wouldn’t be a surprise this year and because golfers like Mickelson, Ian Poulter and even Hunter Mahan might be taking this week off to prepare for the WGCCA in two weeks, Yang might go off as the favorite in the golf sportsbook. Yang is easily one of the better golfers on the Golf Tour. He proved it this past week by finishing 3rd against very good competition. Expect Yang to continue his terrific play in this week’s Honda Classic.

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Namely Andy Murray, who not only fell to Tipsarevic on the back of a poor effort in the second round but added insult to injury when, with a backhanded jibe he claimed, he didn’t care about his loss. Apparently, defeat here wasn’t the end of the world because events of this nature are an opportunity to experiment and practise different tactics.

Dubai organizers that paid Murray handsomely for attending the event (requisite $1 million+ guaranteed fee to turn up) and put him up in lap of luxury in a $2,300 a night duplex suite at the 7-star Burj al Arab hotel since arriving in the Gulf a week ago were not too pleased with the Scott let us just say. Justifiably so.

They expected a lot more from the third seed, at the very least a more concentrated effort to reach the latter stages of the tournament. Such scandalous disinterest and disregard for what he would consider mundane (over a mil on the table are you serious?) doesn’t breed respect for the Scot nor will it win him any fans methinks. Think you he might be getting an invite next year? I am going to hazard a no.

Thankfully, Djokovic has taken his commission in Dubai seriously and he reaches the finale with aplomb. He is set to take on Mikhail Youzhny for the title in what should be a very interesting match. The market certainly is so.

• Tennis Betting Line: Mikhail Youzhny +190 Novak Djokovic -275
• First Set Tennis Line: Mikhail Youzhny +175 Novak Djokovic -225
• Tennis Match Time: 10:00 AM Eastern Time Saturday February 27, 2010

Tennis Betting Verdict: Djokovic enters this match as the -275 favourite to win outright and the -225 favourite to take the first set. He is the defending champion, the newly minted world No.2 and in good-from this season. Tennis bettors could not ask for a better recommendation. Youzhny, however, is a dangerous threat to Djokovic.

The Russian is capable of vexing Djokovic, if not outright beating him. In fact, he beat him only a few weeks ago in Rotterdam in the semis 7-6(5), 7-6(6). Lifetime, Youzhny and Djokovic are 3-3 but the Russian has the1-0 edge on him in 2010. Trading at +190 to win outright and +175 to take the first set, Youzhny is a value play. Question is can he repeat his Rotterdam performance or will Djokovic have his revenge. Seems to be there is value whichever way you slice this match.

For my part, and I am not the biggest Djokovic fan I will admit, I am strangely rooting for him to win. If only to restore back, some of the faith lost in the top five by Murray’s selfish behaviour and poor representation.

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JJ held off teammate Jeff Gordon and Kevin Harvick in order to secure the victory. That means that Team Johnson has won 2 out of the first 3 Sprint Cup races of 2010. Counting the Budweiser Shoot-out and Gatorade duels, and Johnson is 3 out of 6 so far in 2010. JJ and his crew are obviously well on their way to another Sprint Cup Championship. Going off at 4 to 1 in the NASCAR sportsbook, Jimmie was expected to win at Las Vegas, but that shouldn’t keep fans and sports gamblers from looking at the masterful Johnson in awe.

As crazy as it sounds, JJ and his crew appear more focused this year than they have in the four previous NASCAR Cup Championship years. If that is the case, that they are actually more focused than they have been in the past, then does any other team in NASCAR have a shot at winning the Sprint Cup? Probably not. I thought that Johnson solidified his credentials as one of the best athletes in the world in 2009 and the best racecar driver of all time. Now, I’m beginning to believe that he’s one of the best athletes in any sport ever.

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Jeff Gordon laughed at his own bad back and finished 3rd in the Shelby American to Hendrick teammate Jimmie Johnson on Sunday.

Gordon hadn’t finished in the Top 20 in either the Daytona 500 or the Auto NASCAR Club 500. In the Shelby American, Gordo was almost perfect. It looked like he might win the race until both JJ and Kevin Harvick found a way to finish in front of him.

If the 3rd place finish is indeed a sign that Gordon has returned, and that he isn’t being hampered by his bad back, then Hendrick Motorsports look as powerful as they have looked in their NASCAR history. That says a lot considering that Johnson has won four Sprint Cup Championships in a row and Jeff Gordon is considered one of the best NASCAR racecar drivers to ever live.

But stats don’t lie and the stats are already piling up for Team Hendrick in 2010. Mark Martin, who drove for Hendrick for the first time in 2009, finished 4th on Sunday. Martin is averaging an 8th place finish in 3 Sprint Cup races so far in 2010. Johnson has won 2 of the 3 Sprint Cup races in 2010 and Gordon just finished in the Top 5 in the Shelby American. Hendrick Motorsports is not only dominating again but could have their best year ever.

This weekend NASCAR travels to Atlanta for the Kobalt Tools 500. Jimmie Johnson most likely will be the favorite in the NASCAR sportsbook once again as JJ won both races at Atlanta Motor Speedway in 2007. Since 2007, Carl Edwards, the Busch brothers, and Kasey Kahne have had success in Atlanta. Will one of those drivers take down King JJ, or will Johnson once again prove to be the best in the Athens of the South?

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McMurry crashed out of the NASCAR race in 2009 before winning it this year. Sunday’s Daytona 500 victory, no doubt, is the biggest of McMurray career. McMurray knew how important the victory was because he could not stop himself from weeping like a little girl who had found her freakin puppy after a flood. Seriously, it was one of the worst displays of non-manhood I have ever seen in NASCAR sports. The man made Terrell Owens look like a mannequin. I was afraid he was going to drown; he was crying so much.

Besides McMurray’s awesome display of tear duct invulnerability, some might argue that another positive came out of this past Sunday’s Daytona 500. What was it? Their biggest NASCAR star, Dale Earnhardt Jr. finished 2nd.

Dale Jr., who was going off at +700 in the NASCAR sportsbook, shot from 22nd to 2nd because of two green-white checkered flag overtimes. Why did NASCAR break out with the goofy green-white checkered flags? Because somehow, someway, a pothole developed on the track.

NASCAR needed two red flags in order to fix the hole. The two red flags and the two green-white-checkered overtime flags led to a 6-hour Daytona 500. Because of that, I’m just not sure if it’s fair to say that McMurray’s victory was legitimate. I mean, how often is this going to happen? It took NASCAR race 144 minutes to fix both potholes. It took 1 hr and 40 minutes to fix the first pothole. Two green-white flags and the victory of the Daytona 500, NASCAR’s most important race, was crowned.

Really? Is that the way to start out one of the most important seasons in your sport’s history? NASCAR television ratings took a huge hit in 2009. Running a 6 hour Dayona 500 probably isn’t the way to get those viewers back. I don’t believe that pumping up Dale Jr. is the way to do it either, but at least that’s something positive that NASCAR race van convince they got out of this NASCAR race. It’s actually the only thing.

Jimmie Johnson, the 2009 AP Athlete of the Year, and 4 time Sprint Cup Champion, believes that the hole in the track caused him to split a tire. He ended up 35th after crashing during the NASCAR race.

Juan Pablo Montoya, looking for his first non-road course victory on the Sprint Cup Circuit, was in 2nd place before drivers started up again after NASCAR race officials finished patching up the pothole for the second time. He ended up finishing 10th.

Clint Bowyer, who was leading before the whole pothole debacle, ended up 9th. Greg Biffle looked like a serious contender before the ridiculous Hole Gate began and ended up 3rd. Tony Stewart, the pre-race favorite at +450 in the online sportsbook, was in good position before the pothole mess started. Smoke finished 22nd.

The most alarming thing regarding this whole mess is that most of my fellow NASCAR writers are talking about how the Daytona 500 on Sunday was a success. I just don’t agree. As a sports gambler, I was horrified at what I saw. Good money was lost on a legitimate driver not named Jamie McMurray this past Sunday to win the Daytona 500. Yes, the cliche “them are the breaks” is often times valid when it comes to online gambling on NASCAR, but the pothole mess was just plain stupid and idiotic.

The fact that NASCAR race can’t get the track right in their most important NASCAR race of the year is insane to me. The fact that Jamie McMurray won the Daytona 500 when better drivers and crews were in position to do so is shocking. Does NASCAR care that people are turning away from their sport and starting to watch other sports?

NASCAR Hole Gate is not funny. It is not funny to non-gambling NASCAR fans and it definitely is not funny to us sports gamblers who count on NASCAR race to run fair races.

The good news is that things look to change this week because NASCAR travels to Fontana where the track, no doubt, should be in perfect condition. Oh, I’ll be there again, logging onto the NASCAR race sportsbook and looking for that favorite and long shot that I believe could score me some dollars.

After all, there is one cliche besides “them are the breaks” that is true in regards to NASCAR betting even though it refers to a different sport. What’s the cliche? “When a shooter goes cold, what should he do? Keep shooting!”

Most NASCAR bettor went cold this past Sunday because of Hole Gate. Thank goodness that the NASCAR sportsbook will be offering odds on Fontana this weekend for us to “keep shooting”.

Here is the lowdown on the top four frontrunners:

Tennis player: Roger Federer +250

BetU.S. opened trading on Roger Federer at +200 but he has since slipped to +250. The prevalent mood in the market is that Roger Federer tennis player will not win the Aussie Open Tennis this year. Hence, the market moving in a negative direction. This mood flies in the face of certain facts, important facts. Those are that Roger Federer tennis player has won a record 15 grand slam titles and he is enjoying an ongoing run of 22 consecutive semi-final appearances, which means he has reached the semis or better in the last 22 Grand Slams. That incredible, record streak spans over five years. Call me crazy but I cannot take him out of the equation just yet.

Sure, he floundered at the Barclay’s ATP World Tennis Tour Finals and at the Qatar Exxon Mobil tourney at the start of the season, both times against tennis player Nikolay Davydenko. In between, he even lost to Robin Soderling at the Abu Dhabi exhibition event.

But this is a Grand Slam – a stage on which he has vowed to focus and where he typically plays his best tennis. In a best of five sets, nobody save for tennis players: Nadal, Djokovic, Juan Martin Del Potro and Marat Safin has gotten the better of him in the last five years.

Federer is very much in the running, his pedigree alone speaks loudly. In terms of value, at +250 he is at the longest odds I have seen for some time. That alone should encourage bettors to chance on him. That said if I were honest, I am not convinced he is our next champion.

Tennis player: Rafael Nadal +350

BetUS went to market with a +450 price tag on Rafael Nadal in the fall of last season; he has since moved in a positive direction, his odds shaved down to +350. Curiously, he is the only tennis player in the top four to have moved in a positive direction in the market. Read into it, as you will. I will take this as a very good sign.

Rafael Nadal comes into the 2010 Aussie Open Tennis as the defending champion. Just like last season when pundits doubted he would win the coveted title, they doubt again, this time they question his ability to defend his title. This should come as no surprise to fans of the six-time Grand Slam champion, Rafael Nadal tennis player. You must be used to it by now.

Rafael Nadal got his season off to a great start by winning the Abu Dhabi Exhibition tennis event but he suffered a hiccup at the Qatar Exxon Mobil when he lost the title match to N.Davydenko, a match he was clearly in control of after winning the first set 6-0 and at 2-2 in the second set. The hiccup notwithstanding R.Nadal has proved to be a force on the Grand Slam tennis stage. In a best of five sets scenario, he is tough to beat. One has to give him the edge as the second odds-on favourite. Currently, according to the market, he is second favoured after Federer for the title.

Nadal is a tennis player pundits love to doubt and write off. Countless of times he has put paid on that notion. There will be a lot of pressure on him to defend his title. Aside from Federer, Nadal is the only other tennis player in the men’s game to successfully defend a Grand Slam title on more than one occasion. Think about it.

Tennis player: Juan Martin Del Potro +450

Juan Martin Del Potro remains unmoved in the market at +450 since Bet U.S. went to press. Del Potro masterminded the biggest win of his career at the US Open tennis last year when he beat Roger Federer in the final. There is no doubt that Del Potro is talented and will have an opportunity to win more major titles in the future. Right now, the question is can he win the tennis Aussie Open.

The main handicap against him, that makes this doubtful, is fitness. He has been struggling with a wrist injury since the US Open tennis. It is still not clear whether the injury is healed or not. Another lesser issue might come from dealing with his newfound fame and the pressures that come with it. He might need some time to adjust to expectations. Or maybe not.
If he is fit, and he can rip that lethal forehand of his without fear of injury, watch out.

To sum it up for you:

Del Potro: He has a lot going for him but I don’t see him winning the title in Melbourne. As Djokovic struggled after winning the Aussie Open tennis in 2008, I think Del Potro will too struggle this year to replicate his US Open tennis performance. Nevertheless, bettors could do no worse than backing the Tandil giant. He has defied the odds once already.

Tennis player: Novak Djokovic +550

Novak Djokovic was released at +500 odds in the fall. He has since moved marginally, in a negative direction, to +550. Djokovic is the big question mark in the draw. There is a certain nervous trepidation in the market where he is concerned. Given his calibre, I think he should be listed much shorter but going on his 2009 account on the major stage, I can see why he is so long. Understandably, he left many questions unanswered.

Because we have yet to see Djokovic tennis player in action this season, the doubts have become more prominent. Negating some of the questions is the fact that he had some standout moments last year and ahead of the Barclays ATP World Tennis Tour Finals, he was considered by some pundits as the tennis player to beat in 2010. He still might be.

Djokovic would like us to forget his last outing in Melbourne when he wilted under the scorching sun. Reports are that he has been training hard in the Melbourne heat and working with Todd Martin in that endeavour. I don’t think we will see him wilt this time around. But can he surprise everyone and clean up?

Djokovic has the potential to sneak up and surprise. He has had more than a year to adjust to expectations since winning his Aussie Open tennis title, more importantly, he has matured. I can’t say I am his greatest fan but I can not deny his talent. If Todd Martin steers Djokovic back to the same aggressive game plan that saw him win his maiden major title (dumping the awfully dull defensive game he has recently adopted), then heck, watch out for Nole.

All is not lost, of course. There are many ways of creating “value” at the horse racing track besides betting a horse to win. I like to play a straight exacta under these circumstances. I’m going to try and do that, find value, in Horse Racing 7 at Santa Anita Park on Thursday.

Santa Anita Park – Horse Racing 7 (7:07 pm EST)

Optional Claiming $40,000

For Fillies and Mares Four Years Old and Upward Which Have Never Won $10,000
Other Than Maiden, Claiming or Starter or Which Have Never Won Two Horse Races or
Optional Claiming Price of $40,000

Underground: 5/2 morning line Horse Racing betting odds

With the exception of Classy Attraction, Underground is the only speed in this horse racing. The horse runs for superstar trainer Bob Baffert off of a two month layoff. It’s a good sign for Underground because Baffert is 22% in the win column with his 46 to 90 days away runners. He’s also winning at a 31% clip at the current meet. Underground is coming off of two straight horse races in the slop. The return to an all weather surface should really help this horse. Breaking outside of Classy Attraction, and being able to track that one, will help as well.

Classy Attraction: 8/1 morning line odds

The Pro-Ride surface at Santa Anita has been favoring speed this meet. Classy Attraction just isn’t as good as Underground, but that doesn’t mean it won’t do a good job in this horse racing. There just isn’t a lot of other speed in here. So, Classy Attraction, who can also rate, should be in a good position throughout this horse racing. Trainer Silverio Martinez doesn’t saddle a lot of winners. That’s okay because Classy Attraction should pay a nice place mutual given his morning line odds.

Via Veneto: 5/1 morning line odds

Bob Baffert’s other horse in this horse racing gets Garrett Gomez to ride. That’s a huge, huge plus. Via Veneto also can track behind Classy Attraction and Underground and make a nice run at the top of the stretch. That’s another good sign. What isn’t a good sign is the fact that Via Veneto hasn’t really improved that much from one horse racing to another. Via Veneto’s speed ratings have stayed stagnant since its first lifetime horse racing.

Wagering Strategy

Underground should prove exceptionally difficult to run down. I will bet him to win big. I will also play a nice sized exacta with Underground over Classy Attraction and Via Veneto.

Gusty winds and a heavy dose of rain forced Aqueduct to cancel on Wednesday. Horse-players looking for action could not find any at Turfway Park or Hawthorne either, and Beulah Park canceled after running three horse races.

The rain will be gone at the Big A for Thursday, but the forecast still calls for blustery conditions.

I am hoping we get the card in today, because our Late Pick 3 play could send us into the holiday in good shape if we can hit it.

We have five horses in the three horse race sequence at odds of 8/1 or higher, which could pad our bankroll handsomely if we can get a couple of them home first.

Today’s Play of the Day from Aqueduct:

AQU Horse Race 5 Clm $10,000 (2:20 ET)

• 6 Boss Tiffany 2/1
• 8 Carmen Camacho 12/1
• 9 Crazy Thing 3/1
• 10 Holy Trouble 7/2

Analysis: #6 Boss Tiffany stalked the early pace and finished evenly for fourth against $35,000 claimers, beaten 1 1/2 lengths for the top spot. The mare takes a stiff class drop here in for $10,000 and his four previous speed figs are a good fit at this level. The barn claimed him for $30,000, has won about $70,000 with him, so the class drop here does not look very alarming to me.

Carmen Camacho invades from Finger Lakes where the filly has won 3 of her last 4 starts, all in restricted company. Last out she beat state breds in allowance company and the effort was flattered when the runner up Sweet Prime came back to beat state bred allowance foes on Nov. 13. The filly owns solid early and mid pace numbers and could stick around for a share here at a decent price for a sharp barn.

Wagering

• WIN: #6 to win at 9/5 or better.
• EX: 6,8 / 6,8,9,10
• TRI: 6,8 / 6,8,9,10 / 2,6,8,9,10

Today’s Pick 3 Play from Aqueduct:

Starting in horse race 7: $1: 1,6,8,10 / 1,3 / 4,6,12 = $24

AQU Horse Race 7 Clm $12,500 (3:16 ET)

• #6 Triple Honor
• #8 Gimmearoutine
• #10 Neverbeendancin
• #1 Volos

Triple Honor was off next to last, came with a good run up the inside to take over the lead in the stretch and could not hold off the winner late. The gelding caught a main track that was playing to inside speed that day. The cut back to six furlongs should suit and although he steps into open company here, he is in the best form of his career at the moment for a low profile outfit.

#8 Gimmearoutine is returning off a three month break, last out making a good late rally to beat $12,500 non winners of a horse race in six months. The gelding was claimed out of the horse race by the Barbara barn that is showing a 1 for 9 mark first off the claim. The gelding is a three time winner on the inner and has beaten better than these. Decent value if this guy goes off near the 8/1 ML.

AQU Horse Race 8 OClm $50,000 N2X (3:44 ET)

• #3 Saarlight
• #1 Salt Water Reign

#3 Saarlight was scratched out of a stake o Dec. 5 and lands here in a easier spot facing Alw-2 optional claimers in her first start off a six month break. This gal showed some serious promise by passing her first allowance condition with a 101 Beyer in just her third career start. She has worked quickly for her return for the McLaughlin barn that is solid off the bench, top assistant Magnunson the named trainer.

#1 Salt Water Reign is making her first start since July for the Klesaris barn that is 21% winners with horses coming back off a 61-180 day layoff. The mare has done most of her best running on the inner where she has won 4 of 8 starts. She owns a solid pace profile throughout and has run okay off the bench in the past. She fits here with her best and the 5/1 ML looks fair enough.

AQU Horse Race 9 Clm $15,000 B (4:12 ET)

• #4 Her Latest Flame
• #6 Gold Close to Home
• #12 Golden Guska

#4 Her Latest Flame pressed the early pace and weakened to finish fourth last out versus similar company going seven furlongs. It was his first go on a fast track since July, catching off tracks in six straight starts. I thought we would see something from him and didn’t, but let’s give him one more look here as he makes his second start since Bruce Brown took over the training duties.

#6 Gold Close to Home was up close to the pace and then faded to finish eighth last out trying to get a mile. The cut back in distance here should suit and I like the addition of blinkers to the mix as the gelding makes his third start of his current form cycle. Note the crafty Guillo barn is 37% winners (with a +ROI) when adding the hood.

Price Plays From Aqueduct:
These are price plays to watch today. A small win-place wager is in order or if your pockets are deep enough, use these runners in your trifecta and Pick 3 and Pick 4 wagers. One or two of these could be the difference between a regular day at the track and hitting the IRS window with a signer.

• Horse Race 1: #6 Ten Carrot Nikki 15/1
• Horse Race 5: #8 Carmen Camacho 12/1
• Horse Race 6: #5 Foofs Melody 10/1
• Horse Race 6: #12 Sweetheartts Kiss 10/1
• Horse Race 7: #6 Triple Honor 8/1
• Horse Race 7: #8 Gimmearoutine 8/1
• Horse Race 7: #1 Volos 10/1
• Horse Race 8: #9 Star Over Malibu 10/1
• Horse Race 9: #4 Her Latest Flame 12/1
• Horse Race 9: #6 Gold Close to Home 15/1

NASCAR Race-day: 11/15/2009

NASCAR Race-time: 2:30 pm EST

With two nascar races to go in The Chase, Jimmie Johnson has a 73 point over fellow Hendrick Motor Sports driver Mark Martin and a 112 point lead over fellow Hendrick driver Jeff Gordon.

The chances of Jimmie losing the Sprint Cup arent very good, but stranger things have happened which is why the Checker O`Reilly Auto Parts 500, this Sunday`s nascar race at Phoenix International Raceway, is such a big deal. JJ finished 38-th last week in Texas and another finish like that, along with let`s say a Mark Martin victory, would make next week`s final nascar race in The Chase very interesting.

Could Johnson possibly blow the Sprint Cup lead he garnered by winning the three of the four Chase nascar races? Sure he could if he keeps finishing close to 40-th place and his teammate, Martin, wins a couple more.

Martin, by the way, returns to Phoenix where he won in April and where he averages a 9-th place finish. The oldman of Hendrick hasn`t been driving like an old timer all season and definitely has enough left in the tank to make a serious run at JJ should Jimmie and his crew blow another nascar race.

The NASCAR odds on Johnson in the nascar race are +400. The odds on Mark Martin in the sportsbook are +500. I`d go with Martin in this situation. He is coming off of a 4-th place finish at Texas and has won at PIR before.

This NASCAR race is Martin`s to lose, not Jimmie`s to win, which means that a seriously interesting matchup next week at Homestead cold be brewing after Sunday. Which Busch will show up in Phoenix? Will Kurt hold off Kyle, like he did last weekend at Texas, or will Kyle finally secure another victory in 2009?

Both Busch`s are going off at decent odds in the sportsbook, +1200 for both and it will be a question of which Busch gamblers prefer more in this spot. Stat wise, neither Busch brother has been impressive in Phoenix. Kurt has one victory. Kyle has one victory. Kurt averages a 13-th place finish. Kyle averages a 15-th place finish.

Betting either one might be silly, but rarely this season have bettors been able to get double digit odds on Kyle Busch. That should not be the only reason that bettors back him, but it does show that there is some wagering value with Kyle.

Where Has Tony Stewart Gone?

That has to be the question with 2 nascar races left in the Sprint Cup Chase. Smoke has been nowhere to be found since winning on October 4-th at Kansas in the 3rd Chase NASCAR race. Tony finished 5-th a week later in the Pepsi 500 and 9-th in the Tums Fast Relief 500 but his 35-th place finish at Talladega killed him even though he bounced back last week with a 6-th place finish.

Stewart led in the Sprint Cup Standings going into The Chase and it looked like the 1st time driver/owner would strike gold. That has not been the case as Tony is now in 5-th place in the standings behind JJ, Martin, Jeff Gordon and Kurt Busch. Tony is going off at +800 in the sportsbook to win at PIR. He probably won`t have enough to get it done, but don`t worry about Tony.

Next year promises to be another one full of hope for Smoke, however, as there is no doubt that wearing both hats, driver and owner, suits him. There are two NASCAR races left in the 2009 NASCAR Season! Sit back, grab a cold one and enjoy some racing!

Tennis Betting Line: Fernando Verdasco -300 Tommy Robredo +200

Match Time: 02:00 P.M. Eastern Time Friday November 6, 2009

Tennis Betting Verdict: World No.8 tennis player Fernando Verdasco enters this match as the solid favourite to win outright, listed at BetUS Sportsbook at -300. The reason for the favourite nod is obvious. He has a noteworthy ranking in the top ten and a slight ranking edge over tennis player Robredo who weighs in at No.15.

Verdasco has also had a remarkable season by his previous standards, with groundbreaking Grand Slam results – semi-final appearance at the Aussie Open, quarterfinal appearance at the US Open and back-to-back R16’s at Roland Garros and Wimbledon. Tennis player Verdasco also ended a 12-month title drought when he won the title in New Haven ahead of the US Open.
Most recently, he finished runner up in Kuala Lumpur and pushed to the Beijing quarters. His only hiccup during the fall swing was a first round exit to Ivan Ljubicic in Shanghai. Overall, he is 50-20 on the season.

Robredo has had a commendable season. He is 45-23 going into the Valencia quarters. He has two titles on the season in Costa do Sauipe and Buenos Aires. He had a strong start to the season with a R16 at the Aussie Open ahead of his title victories during the South American clay court swing and he underscored his clay court prowess with a quarterfinal appearance at Roland Garros.

Most recently, tennis player Robredo opened noteworthy accounts at the US Open and Shanghai Masters with a last 16 finish in both, lost to tennis player Roger Federer and tennis player Rafael Nadal respectively.

In some respects, tennis player Robredo stacks up well, which would make one believe him to be a value bet at +200. There is also the fact that Verdasco trails lifetime against Robredo 3-4. Yet, tennis player Robredo best career results have come almost exclusively on clay. That is not to say he hasn’t had success on hard courts because he has, but not against a quality hard courter player as Verdasco is. As such, Robredo will be hard pressed to beat Verdasco, especially, if Verdasco is 100% healthy and on his game.

1: Connecticut Huskies (7-1 ATS, 4-4 SU) (LW: 1) The Huskies have finally been bounced from the ranks of the unbeaten ATS teams in the land after they were toppled by Rutgers in the dying seconds. HC Randy Edsall’s squad has been through a ton these past couple weeks, and it’s a wonder if they’re even going to muster a bowl bid. In all likelihood, UConn is going to 4-6 in two weeks’ time.

Up Next NCAA College Football: Away vs. Cincinnati (OTB)

2: Cincinnati Bearcats (6-2 ATS, 8-0 SU) (LW: 2) With USC falling to Oregon and Iowa looking shaky against Indiana, the door creaked a little more open for Cincinnati in its quest to reach the National Championship game. The Big East hasn’t been wrapped up yet though, but three home games in a row could ultimately make the season finale against Pitt the one for all of the marbles.

Up Next NCAA College Football: Home vs. Connecticut (OTB)

3: Pittsburgh Panthers (5-2 ATS, 7-1 SU) (LW: 3) Everyone is talking about Cincinnati in the Big East, but if Pitt hadn’t lost to NC State, there would be two undefeated teams in this conference still. HC Dave Wannstedt’s boys were off this week before welcoming the Orange to Heinz Field next week.

Up Next NCAA College Football: Home vs. Syracuse (-19)

4: South Florida Bulls (4-3 ATS, 6-2 SU) (LW: 5) There isn’t much hope for South Florida to reach the Orange Bowl this year, but after Friday night’s 30-19 victory over West Virginia, the Bulls are going bowling for certain. They’ll have a week and a half to prepare for Rutgers in a critical Big East battle.

Up Next NCAA College Football: Bye

5: Rutgers Scarlet Knights (4-4 ATS, 6-2 SU) (LW: 6) The boys clad in scarlet and white marched into Storrs and became the first team to notch an ATS victory against the Huskies on Saturday afternoon. The game looked to be lost at the end, but QB Tom Savage’s improbable 81-yard TD pass to WR Tim Brown with just 0:22 remaining earned Rutgers a victory. It was the first Big East win of the season for the Scarlet Knights, who are set to go bowling again for the fifth straight season under HC Greg Schiano.

Up Next NCAA College Football: Bye

6: Syracuse Orange (4-4 ATS, 3-5 SU) (LW: 4) The Cuse wrapped up their whopping six-game home stand with a loss to Cincinnati 28-7 on Saturday. The Orange faithful can’t be happy about the fact that their squad only went 3-3 SU and 2-4 ATS on this home stand, as all of the games except for this most recent one were very winnable. If the Orange can find one more win in their L/4 games, it’ll probably be considered a triumph.