Giants, Lincecum reach 2-year deal

Baseball Betting Lines

01/24/2012 - San Francisco, CA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Giants and two-time NL Cy Young Award winner Tim Lincecum have reached a verbal agreement on a two-year contract, avoiding arbitration.

The San Francisco Chronicle reported the deal on Tuesday, which will buy out Lincecum's final two years of arbitration eligibility, to be worth $40.5 million. According to the paper, the right-hander will earn $18 million this coming season and $22 million in 2013. He also receives a $500,000 signing bonus.

Lincecum, 27, had 2.74 earned run average and struck out 220 batters over 217 innings last season but still wound up with a losing record (13-14) because of the Giants' light-hitting offense. San Francisco was next-to-last in the league in runs with 570. Only Seattle (556) scored fewer than the Giants.

The Washington native owns a career record of 69-41 with a 2.98 ERA.

Ganecenter Baseball Betting News

<< Prince goes to Detroit for a king's ransom
Philadelphia, PA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Say what you want about super agent Scott Boras, but in the end he always gets his man his money. The latest example came on Tuesday when Prince Fielder, who some suggested over the weekend may have to set

<< Arlington Million XXX on for August
Arlington Heights, IL (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The 30th running of the Arlington Million has been scheduled for Saturday, August 18. The 1 1/4-mile turf stakes is the centerpiece of Arlington Park's annual race meet. Won in 2011 by Cape Blanc

<< Report: Tigers win Prince Fielder sweepstakes
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Detroit Tigers have reportedly reeled in the biggest remaining free agent on the market: Prince Fielder. Multiple media outlets are reporting the first baseman agreed to a nine-year, $214 million contract with the

<< Milwaukee's Bennett named MISL Player of Week
Tampa, FL (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Milwaukee Wave forward Ian Bennett was named the Major Indoor Soccer League's Player of the Week on Tuesday for Week 12. Bennett recorded 15 points in three games as the Wave maintained their lead in the MISL Ce

<< PSG's Pastore to miss 3-4 weeks
Paris, France (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - PSG playmaker Javier Pastore suffered a thigh muscle tear in Friday's Coupe de France win over Sable-sur-Sarthe and will be out of action three to four weeks, the French club said Tuesday. Pastore, 22, was t

Cincinnati extends Jones for three years >>
Cincinnati, OH (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Head football coach Butch Jones received a three-year contract extension from Cincinnati on Tuesday. The extension runs through the 2017 season. "I have tremendous faith in Coach Jones and his ability

La Russa to manage 2012 NL All-Star team >>
New York, NY (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The retired Tony La Russa will serve as the manager of the National League All-Star team for the 2012 Midsummer Classic at Kauffman Stadium in Kansas City on July 10th. The longtime manager of the St. Lo

Bobcats' Augustin to miss 4 games >>
Charlotte, NC (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Charlotte Bobcats guard D.J. Augustin will miss four games due to an inflammatory condition of the sesmoid bones that lie in the flexor tendons on his right big toe. Augustin was seen by Charlotte orthoped

Rays bring back Pena >>
St. Petersburg, FL (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Tampa Bay Rays signed first baseman Carlos Pena to a one-year, $7.25 million contract on Tuesday. Pena, 33, played for the Rays from 2007-10 before joining the Chicago Cubs last season. He bat

Dolphins' Soliai added to AFC Pro Bowl roster >>
Davie, FL (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Miami Dolphins defensive tackle Paul Soliai has replaced Baltimore Ravens defensive tackle Haloti Ngata on the AFC Pro Bowl roster. Soliai had 27 tackles in 16 games (12 starts) this season. He will be play

SPORTS BETTING - Tennis is an underrated and under-utilized bettors' sport.

Ten years ago, at just about this time, I called Alan Boston in Vegas and left him a voicemail that went something like this (abridged version): "Hey Alan, Chad Millman from ESPN The Magazine calling. I want to do a book about wise guys, you in?"

A couple weeks later I got a message back (abridged version): "I don't know, maybe," Boston said. "Call me and we'll talk about it. But not later today. I got $1,000 on Andre Agassi to win the French Open at 40-1, and he's in the finals."

Here's what happened next (abridged version): Agassi won his tourney. Boston won his $40,000. I wrote sportsbook.

In the ten years since, how much has been wagered on the big-time tennis events? Put it this way: The Nevada Gaming Commission doesn't even track the number year by year because it's so small.

"Tennis makes up about one-tenth of one percent of our take," says Lucky's bookmaking boss Jimmy Vaccaro. "The last big golf major we probably had $100,000 worth of bets. In tennis, we might have written two big tickets."

Tennis' lack of popularity amongst the American bettoratti is no surprise, really. For starters, the biggest sports betting holidays -- the Super Bowl, the NCAA tourney -- are must see TV. People, at least the degenerates I know, plan vacations around watching those events in Vegas sports books.

But Wimbledon? Doesn't exactly reel in the whales. "Seriously, it's the nuts as an event," says Boston. "But who even knows when it's on?"

Here's another reason that helps explain why golf gets traction, something I call "The Bubbe Theory." My Bubbe is pushing 95 and has cataracts so bad that, to her, even the most crystalline Chicago day is mostly cloudy. But she still listens to the Cubs games, and she still calls me in a fit if she disagrees with something Rick Telander writes in the Chicago Sun Times. She's a sports fan. If she doesn't know you, you're just filling a niche. And niche players, even historically good ones like Roger and Raf, don't drive betting volume. Only the highest profile names attract square money, which inflates wagering totals like a shot of saline to the lips. Bubbe, and the public, loved Agassi, tennis' last cross-the-rubicon, mainstream draw. She also has a crush on Tiger. She's given me standing orders to put a sawbuck on the big cat whenever I walk through a sports book (or mistakenly tap into one via my Internet machine.) That explains why the Masters is getting $100K in action at some books while the four tennis majors might not get that combined this year.

This isn't a case of tennis being a difficult sport to bet. In fact, in Europe, it's probably the second most popular sport for gambling after soccer. Granted, as the WSJ football betting last week and The Mag's Shaun Assael examined in even greater depth last year, that might be because gamblers across the pond see it as an easy game to fix. But it could also be because, over there it holds the kind of sway the big two do over here.

Street corners in Spain are peppered with public courts and kids doing their best Raffy impressions. In some war torn parts of Eastern Europe poverty-stricken kids view tennis as an escape route, like football or basketball here. A couple years ago The Mag's Lindsay Berra wrote a great piece about Belgrade's Jelena Jankovic, Ana Ivanovic and Novak Djokovic. They learned the game as kids while bombs were raining down on their homeland. They practiced in drained swimming pools. Not exactly Nick Bolletierri conditions.

In the United States, casual fans think tennis is played four times a year. But on the tightly packed European continent, national interest in homegrown talent runs deep every weekend. Of the ATP's current top 20 players, only two, tennis betting and James Blake, are American. Fourteen are from Europe, representing six different countries.

No wonder fans from Lisbon to Bhudapest get jacked up for the net game, whether it's Wimbledon or a low-level tourney like the Estoril Open in Portugal (congrats to Spain's Albert Montanes for winning that one, btw). Chances are good that someone representing their flag will not only be playing, but have a shot at winning.

And that's all any bettor can ask for.

To visit this sports book go to MySportsbook.com for all your football betting needs.

American Idol Betting Odds: Season 6  

The online gambling websites are in the process of deciphering each American Idol contestant and his or her chances of winning Season 6 to come up with the early American Idol betting lines.

Tim Dalton of MySportsbook.com has been locked away in a soundproof room coming up with all the latest tallies, we are told. "American Idol has become one of the most significant betting events of the year," claims Jack Black of MySportsbook.com.  "Last year, millions were bet during the season across the globe, not just in America.

It's tough early on since we really do not have a glimpse as to how well each of these individuals will perform solo on a week-to-week basis.  It's like Week 1 of the NFL.  Pre-season means nada!

We do know the 24 finalists however.

Sanjaya Malakar is the young man whose sister failed to make it into the Top 24.  He's very low key but - unless he totally flubs - will probably win over the young girlie vote for a few weeks anyway.  He's too young to go all the way, according to Payton O'Brien. 

Brandon Rogers - Who?

Phil Stacy is the military guy who missed his daughter's birth because of the Memphis audition.  He should go a good distance.

Chris Sligh - He's got the humor and in many ways he's the Anti-American Idol much like last year's winner Taylor Hicks was.  And this is why he'll probably get pretty far in this competition.  He's chubby, white with a big curly afro....but more importantly, a great voice!  People love "real", not "real cute" to go all the way. 

"Blake Lewis should go far because of his uniqueness and looks.  He's the boy next store with a twist - he beat boxes.  But on top of this, he's a great singer, and I adore him," Payton O'Brien relayed.

A talented beat-boxer Blake Lewis was a hit during the group sing in Hollywood but Simon explained that this is a singing contest just before he told him he was “in.”

Paul Kim has caught our own roving reporter, Jenny Woo's eyes. 

"I love the fact that there is a Korean American on the show and he is bound to get more Asians tuning into the show," Woo said from her Miami Beach estate.  "There has never been a major presence of Asian-Americans on American Idol in the past.  He's a hottie with a nice voice so that should help to take him far.  Expect heavy betting action from the Asian community."

Sundance Head - He's not perfect, but he's got the personality that will take him through a few weeks, plus he's got the lineage (son of Roy Head - whose 1965 single, "Treat Her Right," hit No. 5 in the charts) 

And the others:

Rudy Cardinas
AJ Tabaldo - the 5th time is the charm
Nicolas Pedro
Chris Richardson
Jared Cotter

The girls

"Melinda Doolittle has one of the best voices," says MySportsbook.com Reporter and an acclaimed dancer in her own right, Destiney Lewis.  "It is great to see a back up singer step out like she has.  The girl needs to gain more confidence but that can also be a positive.  I think she will go far."

Alena Alexander - Those tears (she never seems to stop bawling) should get her far.

"Single mom Lakisha Jones I suspect will be a pretty big favorite entering Week 1 of the competition," says Destiny Williams.  Jones is an excellent singer and down to earth.  "She'll have a wide appeal," echoed O'Brien.

Nicole Trellis - Seems to exert confidence.

Amy Krebs - a powerful singer.

Antonella Barba
Gina Glocksen
Hailey Scanardo
Jordan Sparks
Stephanie Edwards
Leslie Hunt
Sabrina Sloan

MySportsbook.com is offering a 20% signup bonus with an initial deposit (i.e. open your American Idol betting account with $300, receive another $60 in which to bet with). 

Last two contestants will be?

1 Male/1 Female +100 (a $10 bet pays $10 plus your initial $10)

2 Males +170 (a $10 bet pays $17 plus your initial $17)

2 Females +130 (a $10 bet pays $13 plus your initial $10)

MySportsbook.com is an online sportsbook accepts Visa Credit Cards and online sportsbook accepts Mastercard Credit Cards for easy American Idol betting lines.