Celtics, Knickerbockers square off in Beantown

Basketball Betting Lines

02/28/2007 - (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Boston Celtics try to make it two straight wins this evening when they host the division-rival New York Knicks at TD Banknorth Garden.

Boston hasn't won consecutive games since ripping off five straight wins from December 9 - 16 this season. The Celtics ended a four-game losing streak with Monday's 77-72 victory over the Houston Rockets at the Toyota Center.

Paul Pierce recorded 28 points to help take advantage of a Tracy McGrady-less Houston squad. Pierce scored seven of his points during a 13-0 run late in the fourth quarter for the Celtics, who won for just the second time over their past 22 contests.

Delonte West added 16 points and Al Jefferson had 16 points and 17 rebounds for Boston, which will return home where it is just 5-21 this season. The Celtics are last in the Atlantic, while New York is 5 1/2 games off the lead.

New York has alternated wins and losses over its last nine games, and posted a 99-93 triumph over Miami on Monday at Madison Square Garden.

Stephon Marbury scored 18 of his 25 points in the fourth quarter to lead the Knicks to their second win in three games. Eddy Curry added 28 points and 11 rebounds for New York, which won for the third time in five outings since the All-Star break.

The Knicks, who are still alive for a playoff spot, have lost their last three games on the road and are 10-19 away from the Big Apple this season.

On the injury front for New York, forward David Lee (ankle) is questionable for Wednesday's game, while guard Steve Francis (knee) is doubtful against the Celtics.

Wednesday's showdown between Boston and New York is the fourth and final meeting of the regular season. The Celtics lead the 2006-07 series by a 2-1 count and have won five of seven and nine of the last 12 meetings.

New York has won two straight after losing its last three in Beantown.

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American Idol Betting Season 6 Strategies  

It's that time of year folks.  Betting on American Idol Season 9.  And we have plenty of American Idol Season 6 strategies appearing below.  With the Top 24 finalists revealed, online gambling sites will be offering betting odds on each of them, including MySportsbook.com.

No other “event” has been growing as fast as wagering on American Idol. It has turned into a huge betting event with reasonably high limits and all sorts of profit-making potential for sharp bettors. Last year, MySportsbook.com experienced unprecedented traffic as a result of the American Idol betting craze.

Every week there will be odds to win American Idol, various elimination props and contestant versus contestant match-ups at the MySportsbook.com website.

Whether a fan of America’s top-rated show or watching only because of a wife or girlfriend, here are some of basic strategies to use when betting American Idol.

Odds to Win

There are a few things to consider when looking for the right win bet. First off, remember that this bet is for the long haul. Many people make the mistake of picking the performer who sang the best the previous week. This strategy leads to an underlay situation – betting a price, which is less than what it should be.

All Idol contestants struggle at some point in the competition, so you should always look for value. In last year’s competition alone, two performers who had some of the best performances early in the series were subsequently bet down to low prices - Lisa Tucker and Ace Young. After just a few weeks, Tucker had already been eliminated, while Young quickly became a huge long shot to win America’s largest talent search.

A better strategy is to look for performers who don’t necessarily get the praise from the judges, but show flashes of the talent necessary to go the distance.

Another important thing to remember when betting any contestant to win is the demographic breakdown of the voters, the viewing public and potential future CD purchasers. Unlike sporting events, American Idol is not decided on the field of play – it’s decided by the American public under the guiding influence of the shows producers.

Understand that the great state of Alabama has a mighty edge when it comes to American Idol. 

Therefore, to be successful betting on American Idol, put any personal opinions or prejudices aside and think like the majority of the voting public. Remember that the typical voter is young, female and quite often, Southern.

If a contestant cannot appeal to this demographic, no matter how much talent he or she possesses, they’ll struggle for votes. Looks, demeanor and charisma are extremely important. And it’s no coincidence that every Idol winner so far has hailed from a Southern state.

Elimination Props

Every week MySportsbook.com anticipates offering a prop on who’ll be eliminated from the show each Wednesday night. A suggestion to handicap this is to gauge an overall feel for who’s the least popular contestant left in the competition. Generally the least popular performers have recently appeared in the bottom three and will have been the target of repeated criticism from the judges.

Last year, resources included dialidol.com and votefortheworst.com. Dialidol.com measures the volume of each contestant’s voting line. While by no means a perfect science, it does give a good indication of who is generating votes and who isn’t. Meanwhile, votefortheworst.com is a site that attempts to build support for the worst competitor to keep them in the competition for ‘entertainment’ value. The site has a proven track record of keeping performers around who most feel should have been voted off a long time ago.

Contestant vs. Contestant Match-ups

The best strategy for doing well on match-ups is to assess how close either of the contestants is to being eliminated. If neither is expected to be voted off of the show in the coming weeks, the value is almost always on the underdog. If both are expecting an imminent exit in the near future, the favorite in the match-up might offer value.

Watch for American Idol betting odds on each of the contestants shortly and good luck with these American Idol betting strategies.

To visit this online sportsbook got to MySportsbook.com - this sportsbook accepts credit cards.