Nationals attempt to continue pleasant stay in Houston

Baseball Betting Lines

08/22/2007 - (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Washington Nationals will try to stay on the winning track tonight, when they continue a four-game series against the Houston Astros from Minute Maid Park.

The Nats ended a four-game losing streak with Monday's 7-0 victory in the series opener, then recorded an 11-6 triumph on Tuesday. Ryan Zimmerman ended a double shy of hitting for the cycle and drove in four runs, while Nook Logan ended a career-best 5-for-6 with three RBI and two runs scored.

Washington starter Joel Hanrahan picked up his third win in four starts, giving up three runs on seven hits in five innings to help the Nats to a 2-0 mark on their current 10-game trek.

Mike Bacsik is back in the rotation for the Nationals after a brief stint in the bullpen and will take on Houston this evening. Bacsik is 5-6 with a 4.61 ERA in 18 games (16 starts) this season.

Bacsik is 3-0 over his previous eight appearances, including four straight no decisions. In 2 1/3 scoreless innings of relief on Thursday against the New York Mets, Bacsik struck out one batter and walked another in a 6-2 loss.

The left-hander is 0-0 with a 1.17 ERA in two career games (one start) against the Astros. Bacsik faced Houston on July 16 and did not factor in the outcome. He yielded two runs -- one earned -- through 5 2/3 innings of a 4-3 Washington victory.

Taking the mound for the Astros this evening will be Woody Williams, who is 7-12 with a 4.92 ERA in 27 games (26 starts) this season.

Williams is 2-0 in his previous five trips to the hill and recorded the win his last time out on Friday at San Diego. He held the Padres to just one run and six hits through seven innings of a 3-1 triumph at Petco Park.

The veteran righty is 2-3 with a 3.89 earned run average in six career starts against Washington. Williams lost to the Nationals on July 16 of this season at RFK Stadium, yielding four runs in six frames of work.

Houston has dropped three in a row and five of seven games after last night's setback. Craig Biggio had three hits, including a homer, drove in four runs and scored twice for Houston.

Astros rookie center fielder Hunter Pence was activated from the disabled list prior to the game and went 1-for-6 with an RBI.

Washington took two of three games against Houston from July 16-18 at RFK Stadium and has won seven of the last eight meetings between the teams.

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Super Bowl XLIII Betting Odds

Super Bowl XLIII, the Arizona Cardinals and the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Super Bowl XLIII is now set, the Arizona Cardinals and the Pittsburgh Steelers will meet each other on February 1st in Tampa's Raymond James Stadium to battle it out for the coveted Lombardi Trophy. The game kicks off at 6:00pm ET on NBC with announcers Al Michaels and John Madden covering the on-field action. Super Bowl XLIII betting odds at online bookmaker MySportsbook.com have the Steelers listed as an early -6.5 against the spread favorite.Super Bowl XLIII Betting Odds

Pittsburgh earned their passage to the big game by beating their division rival, the Baltimore Ravens, 23-14 in yesterday's AFC Championship Game. The Steelers jumped on Baltimore early, building a 13-0 first half lead, and never let up on their way to a fairly easy win. Although the Ravens did close to within two points in the fourth quarter, it never appeared as if they had enough offense to pull off the upset.

The Steelers dominating defense held Baltimore to a total of 198 yards while allowing them to convert just three third downs in 13 attempts. Pittsburgh also forced quarterback Joe Flacco into three interceptions, one of which safety Troy Polamalu returned fourty yards for a touchdown.

The Cardinals, by far the playoff team with the longest odds to reach Super Bowl XLIII, did so yesterday with a 32-25 upset of the Philadelphia Eagles in the NFC Championship. Arizona charged out of the gates and built a 24-6 halftime lead that had the Eagles venerable defense reeling. Quarterback Kurt Warner and wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald did most of the damage, connecting on three first half touchdowns.

Arizona, however, could not sustain their momentum and the Eagles took a 25-24 with 10:45 left to play in the fourth. The Cardinals, with the franchise's first Super Bowl appearance hanging in the balance, mounted a fourteen play, 72 yard touchdown drive that consumed 7:52 off the clock. Warner hit running back Tim Hightower on a short screen for the go-ahead, game clinching score that will forever live in Cardinal infamy.

MySportsbook.com's Super Bowl XLIII Betting Odds:

Pittsburgh Steelers -6.5 (-110), Over 46.5 (-110), -260 (Money line)

Arizona Cardinals +6.5 (-110), Under 46.5 (-110), +220 (Money line)

Matt Foust won both of his conference championship plays yesterday and he is ready to serve up plenty of Super Bowl action. Each individual play costs $15.00, however, MySportsbook.com recommends purchasing Matt's NFL Playoff Package which includes all of Matt's Super Bowl props and picks from just $45.00.

Get free Super Bowl XLIII Betting from top rated online sportsbook MySportsbook.com. Mysportsbook.com online Super Bowl betting with credit cards

SPORTS BETTING

NFL Football Betting Online

In terms of sports wagering, the NFL is "the most popular game in town." The explanation behind that is easy.

It is called the "pointspread."

Many years ago, NFL games, as well as the more popular college games, used straight odds as a vehicle for betting. For example, if the Bears were playing the Giants, and it shaped up as a competitive contest, the Bears might be, say, a 7/5 favorite. If they were playing an also-ran, it might be 10/1. Well, there is a point where a line becomes prohibitive, as far as betting the favorite. And who would waste money betting an underdog that has virtually no chance? Such a setup did not contribute to promoting betting action.

But in modern sports betting, a "pointspread" is used.

A NFL pointspreads are exactly that, a pre-established point difference between the two sides that will, for all intents and purposes, create a handicap that evens things out, and in doing so, produces comparable wagering activity on both sides of that proposition. So in lieu of a odds figure in which to bet the team to win outright, the Bears might be a three-point favorite over the New York Giants, and a 17-point favorite over the also-ran. Now that the team that is the underdog can "get" points, there can be equal action on both sides.

In sportsbooks, this is usually done with efficiency by charging the losing bettors 10% extra - in effect, bettors are laying 11/10 on those games. So they are actually betting $110 to win $100. If they lose, they pay the "vig." If they win, they simply collect.

The establishment of the pointspread as the corner stone around which team sports like football can be wagered upon was truly what brought gridiron betting into the stratosphere for online football betting .

Don't believe it? Just take a look at what happens around the Super Bowl.

Stay with us here as we take you through the best in NFL action on a consistent basis, with advice columns as well as handicapping selections. If you're looking for college football betting, that's in our NCAA section, which you can reach by clicking here. And if you're looking for a different kind of football, such as the Canadian Football League, which we'll deal with occasionally, or the Arena Football League, which we really like, you can find it in our Miscellaneous section by clicking

Note: Monday night game will be picked Monday. Lines used are from football betting odds .
To visit this online sportsbook got to MySportsbook.com for all your football betting needs. Mysportsbook.com online sportsbook betting credit cards