VSI Gives Odds To Win WNBA Title

Contributed by Vegas Sports Informer

It’s that time of year again as the NBA season is getting ready to end and the ladies take center court.

The WNBA tips-off their 14th season of play tonight and the Seattle Storm look to post back-to-back WNBA Championships. The West will be tough and again I believe the West will produce the 2011 WNBA Championship.

If you need a sleeper and a team that could make some early noise look out for the Minnesota Lynx. The Lynx at 8-to-1 is great value and yes they are young but these young legs could produce some early wins.

This season we are looking for another big year in the WNBA and so far we have cashed four straight WNBA seasons. People make fun of me every year when I tell them that I bet the WNBA but making money is making money and if I make money with women’s basketball who cares? All that means is that my clients have extra summer cash in their wallets.

My prediction this season to win it all will be a team in the West and this year we will have a repeat as the Seattle Storm win the 2011 WNBA Championship over the Atlanta Dream.

Here are the odds to win the 2011 WNBA Championship

Seattle Storm    11/4
Atlanta Dream    6/1
Los Angeles Sparks    8/1
Minnesota Lynx    8/1
Phoenix Mercury    8/1
Connecticut Sun    10/1
New York Liberty    10/1
Washington Mystics    10/1
Chicago Sky    12/1
Indiana Fever    12/1
San Antonio Silver Stars    14/1
Tulsa Shock    18/1

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Posted at 9:15 am

Wimbledon – Novak Djokovic defeats Rafa Nadal for The Championships title

So far this year, Serbian Novak Djokovic has won 48 of the 49 matches he has played this season. That goes even a little further if we take into account last year’s Davis Cup. He has won every tournament he has been into for the sole exception of the French Open, where he couldn’t outplay Roger Federer in the semifinals. Just for the sake of information, Roger Federer would eventually lose the final of the French Open to the King of Clay, one Rafael Nadal.

Back at Roland Garros I said on the subsequent blog entry that had Roger Federer not managed to defeat Novak Djokovic, it would have been Djokovic who would have won the French Open. Let’s consider that on three warm up clay court tournaments before Paris, Djokovic had won on each, including two wins in the finals against Rafael Nadal. The truth is that the Djoker had Nadal figured out, even when playing in his strongest surface. What Djokovic hadn’t figured out yet was how to defeat perhaps the greatest player to have yet to play the game, the Swiss Roger Federer.

Perhaps this is why when Djokovic finally got his chance to defeat Rafael Nadal for a Grand Slam tournament I couldn’t help but to feel extremely excited about the Djoker’s accomplishments this season. One must understand that by defeating Rafa on Sunday, Djokovic was certainly redefining his career. He was certainly taking his tennis game to a whole new level. Let’s consider that before this win, Novak Djokovic had never defeated Rafael Nadal on a Grand Slam. Certainly not when playing for a Grand Slam title. Neither had he ever won a grass-court tournament of any sort, let alone the Championships at Wimbledon. Before 2011, Novak Djokovic had been a great player. Now we can say he is quite phenomenal.

Novak Djokovic was faster, stronger, had a better swing and simply ran from side to side of the court showing his best defense up to date. This brilliant performance was enough to defeat the defending champion, Rafael Nadal by 6-4, 6-1, 1-6, 6-3 at Central Court. This is his first title at the All England Club and third major championship overall. Many are already making of him the favorite to go on and win the US Open.

:Djokovic wins Wimbledon, Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal
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NBA – Chicago Bulls beat Boston Celtics to clinch the Eastern Conference Title

Ok, let’s be fair to the Boston Celtics and perhaps for the sake of precision lets just say that the Boston Celtics still have a mathematical probability of winning the Conference Title and holding on to the No.1 seed in the East for the NBA Playoffs. But on the other hand we must also say that the Celtics gasping the No.1 seed is as improbable as it is for the Bulls to lose all of its pending games.

For starters, the soon to be named the league’s MVP, the talented and spectacular Derrick Rose outplayed no other then one of the NBA’s finest point guards: Rajon Rondo. As if that was not enough, Rose, with 30 points, 8 rebounds and 5 assists almost, single handedly outscored the Boston Celtics Big three: Kevin Garnet, 10 points, 10 rebounds; Paul Pierce, 15 points, 4 rebounds; Ray Allen 7 points and 6 rebounds.

So this better be a wake-up call for the Boston Celtics if they are really hoping to emulate their National Championship in 2008. Sure, they made it to the finals last year, but considering all the rebuilding and insane investments that the teams in the Easter Conference have made, it is certainly going to be a bit more of a challenge to play the Bulls, the Miami Heat, the Orlando Magic and the Knicks for a spot in the NBA Finals.

The guys from Chicago were playing with much more cohesion and style, there is really no doubt about it: the Bulls deserved the win. Boston was not at its best, and the Bulls made sure they showed everyone watching the game the Celtics many flaws. Chicago outscored the Celtics 44-22 in the paint, outrebounded them 44-35 and held Boston to 38.4 percent shooting. And that’s not the Celtics that we expect to see on a daily basis. That’s not the team that held the Miami Heat to a 3-0 record and which on Sunday could very well sweep the season with a 4-0.

Because there is simple one big issue: Derrick Rose has been certainly a prominent force in this new era for the Bulls. Because let’s face it, we haven’t seen the Bulls play like they have since, well, since Scottie Pippen and Micheal Jordan were working their way into becoming NBA Legends.

Rose was a one-man highlight reel against Rajon Rondo, beating him with his crossover and getting to the rim. His performance in the first half was just outstanding. Rose scored 16 points in the first two quarters as the Bulls build a 48-43 lead. Luol Deng scored 23 points, and Carlos Boozer added 14 points and 12 rebounds.

The bottom line: Rose outplayed Rondo and that just was not good news for Boston. Twice, Rose completely lost Rondo with hard crossovers. In the second quarter, Rose duped Rondo by stepping back and left, fainting to shoot, then crossing back to his right and flying pass three Celtics Players for the layup. It was a beautiful play that simply made Rondo and the Celtics look a bit too soft, too weak, and not quite ready yet for the Playoffs.

City out to 15-2 for title after defeat at Villa Park

 By James Milton 7:41PM 22 JAN 2011 IT took less than 20 minutes for Darren Bent to start repaying the £18m fee that Aston Villa paid for him with the goal that saw off title hopefuls Manchester City on Saturday.

Bent, who was 7-1 to open the scoring, struck from close range
after just 18 minutes and 11-4 shots Villa held on to win 1-0.

The result took Villa up to 16th in the Premier League but City slip to third after their fifth defeat of the season.

Roberto Mancini’s Citizens have been pushed out to 15-2 to win the league and, while they were toiling at Villa Park, rivals Manchester United kept up their unbeaten start to the season with a 5-0 thrashing of Birmingham at OldTrafford.

United are 4-6 for the Premier League after Dimitar Berbatov took his goal tally for the season to 17 thanks to his third league hat-trick of the campaign.

Robin van Persie scored three goals and missed apenalty as Arsenal beat Wigan 3-0 and the Gunners, who move up to second place, are 15-2 for the title.

Tottenham were held to a 1-1 draw at Newcastle, where Gareth Bale went off injured after just ten minutes, and Liverpool won 3-0 at Wolves, who remain in the relegation zone.

Fulham won 2-0 against Stoke, Sunderland won at Blackpool and West Ham held Everton 2-2.

In the Championship, Cardiff are 6-1 to win the division after a 4-2 victory against Watford, in which Craig Bellamy, Michael Chopra and the returning Jay Bothroyd were all on target.

League One leaders Brighton lost 1-0 at Bournemouth, who move into second place. The Seagulls are 7-4 second-favourites for the league behind 13-8 shots Southampton, who lost 2-0 at struggling Tranmere.

Hearts are as short as 7-1 to win the SPL after beating Rangers
1-0. The Edinburgh club are just two points behind the Gers and seven behind leaders Celtic, who have played a game more.

A gamble on the Barnet-Macclesfield double result in Saturday’s League Two fixture at Moss Rose was foiled when the teams finished level at 1-1.

Most firms took their double-result prices down after an unusually high number of bets. Bet365 kept their market
up offering 7-1 from 22-1 just before kick-off, but the bet was scuppered by half-time, when the teams turned round goalless.

FacebookDeliciousDiggStumbleUpon   TOP STORIES Grant looking to boost job prospects by keeping Hammers' run going 7:37pm 25 Jan 2011 Second Service: Federer still 2-1 despite hammering Wawrinka 1:00pm 25 Jan 2011 Road kings Green Bay 8-11 Bowl favourites 4:45pm 24 Jan 2011 Second Service: Nadal cut after crucial win 2:30pm 24 Jan 2011 Leinster 5-2 for second Heineken win after kind draw 9:23pm 23 Jan 2011 Kaymer rises in rankings after Abu Dhabi success 9:10pm 23 Jan 2011 Australia whitewash 8-1 after Sydney ODI-stroll 8:34pm 23 Jan 2011 Baggies defeat sees Di Matteo cut to get sack 8:26pm 23 Jan 2011 Second Service: Federer stays at 7-4 after four-set Robredo success 1:38pm 23 Jan 2011 7:41pm 22 Jan 2011 Show All Current Stories LATEST STORIES Grant looking to boost job prospects by keeping Hammers' run going 7:37pm 25 Jan 2011 Second Service: Federer still 2-1 despite hammering Wawrinka 1:00pm 25 Jan 2011 Road kings Green Bay 8-11 Bowl favourites 4:45pm 24 Jan 2011 Second Service: Nadal cut after crucial win 2:30pm 24 Jan 2011 Leinster 5-2 for second Heineken win after kind draw 9:23pm 23 Jan 2011 Kaymer rises in rankings after Abu Dhabi success 9:10pm 23 Jan 2011 Australia whitewash 8-1 after Sydney ODI-stroll 8:34pm 23 Jan 2011 Baggies defeat sees Di Matteo cut to get sack 8:26pm 23 Jan 2011 Second Service: Federer stays at 7-4 after four-set Robredo success 1:38pm 23 Jan 2011 7:41pm 22 Jan 2011 Show All Current Stories FOOTBALL Grant looking to boost job prospects by keeping Hammers' run going 7:37pm 25 Jan 2011 Baggies defeat sees Di Matteo cut to get sack 8:26pm 23 Jan 2011 7:41pm 22 Jan 2011 Qatar World Cup 3-1 to be held during winter 5:43pm 20 Jan 2011 Arsenal in to 5-1 for Cup after despatching Leeds 10:49pm 19 Jan 2011 Adam 8-11 for January switch 5:41pm 20 Jan 2011 Citizens 7-1 for title after scraping past Wolves 7:52pm 15 Jan 2011 200-1 for no giants to fall 10:56pm 7 Jan 2011 Roy 1-2 to have bossed his last Reds league game 10:51pm 6 Jan 2011 Turmoil continues for Liverpool and Chelsea 10:14pm 5 Jan 2011 Show All Current Stories GOLF Kaymer rises in rankings after Abu Dhabi success 9:10pm 23 Jan 2011 Favourite Ogilvy now a doubtful Hyundai starter 1:18pm 6 Jan 2011 CRICKET Australia whitewash 8-1 after Sydney ODI-stroll 8:34pm 23 Jan 2011 Marvellous Marsh spearheads Australia victory 12:50pm 21 Jan 2011 England 8-11 for Ashes treble after SCG stroll 10:45pm 7 Jan 2011 England 1-12 to wrap-up SCG win in morning 1:52pm 6 Jan 2011 TENNIS Second Service: Federer still 2-1 despite hammering Wawrinka 1:00pm 25 Jan 2011 Second Service: Nadal cut after crucial win 2:30pm 24 Jan 2011 Second Service: Federer stays at 7-4 after four-set Robredo success 1:38pm 23 Jan 2011 Second Service: Saturday's updates and betting news from the Australian Open 1:44pm 22 Jan 2011 Second Service: Thursday's updates and betting news from the Australian Open 1:44pm 20 Jan 2011 Second Service: Wednesday's updates and betting news from the Australian Open 2:50pm 19 Jan 2011 Updates and betting news from the Australian Open 1:39pm 21 Jan 2011 RUGBY Leinster 5-2 for second Heineken win after kind draw 9:23pm 23 Jan 2011 OTHER SPORTS Road kings Green Bay 8-11 Bowl favourites 4:45pm 24 Jan 2011 Rocket still 9-2 for world title after Power win 11:49pm 31 Oct 2010 Froch retains title with scrappy win 11:56am 18 Oct 2009 Specialist road racers should shine at Infineon 8:34am 21 Jun 2009 Roush stable has pedigree to tame Nascar's Monster Mile 12:12pm 31 May 2009 Search our News Archive Sport News RSS Feed All Racing Post RSS Feeds Follow us on Twitter Follow us on Facebook Download our iPhone app

Spurs suggest they are still in the title race… but they aren’t

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Katchalov Captures Caribbean Title

Professional poker player Eugene Katchalov has won the record- breaking $100,000 Super High Roller event at the PCA.

His victory earned him a monumental first prize of $1.5 million.

38 people managed to find $100,000 stuffed under their mattresses making it the largest ever field for a $100,000 event.

Of those 38 players, those studying the Betfair Bonus note that eight of them sat down to battle it out for the $1.5 million prize money and Katchalov started third in chips.

Nick Shulman – 2,990,000
Daniel Negreanu – 2,166,000
Eugene Katchalov – 1,476,000
Bryn Kenney – 1,390,000
Humberto Brenes – 757,000
Demjan Sandor – 379,000
Andrew Lichtenberger – 373,000

Those over at www.betfairpoker.com note how the first to be eliminated was Lichtenberger after shoving with AT pre flop only to be called by the pocket kings of Negreanu. Then the Hungarian Sandor Demjan was next when he shoved on a board of 8d8h2d with pocket tens and Katchalov called with pocket Jacks. Brenes, Schulman followed before Katchalov

NCAA Football – Auburn Tigers claim National Title over Oregon Ducks

Cameron Newton is perhaps one of the finest players to ever have played in the NCAA. He took the Heisman Trophy, he broke most every record you could brake on a single season; he is taller, stronger, heavier, faster and perhaps even more accurate then any quarterback we have seen so far. At the end, and despite his somewhat upsetting and slow start, Cam Newton had the best answers. The Tigers made up for the slow start when they were able to shut off the Oregon Ducks for 38 minutes straight.

All it took was a series of small mistakes from Oregon to guide the Tigers into their first National Championship since 1957. The Oregon Ducks were close, very close but at the end, as the time ran out, the starting kicker Wes Byrum’s completed a 19-yard field goal to close a perfect 14-0 season and give the Tigers a 22-19 win in the BCS National Championship Bowl.

If we could track it all down to one decisive moment, we could come up with a couple of errors made by Oregon. First came that safety when LaMichael James was tackled by Mike Blank inside the End Zone, which closed down the Tigers gap to 9-11. Right after that, the Auburn Tigers defensive line kept Darron Thomas and the Ducks under the radar.

Thomas completed 27 of his 40 passes and for 363 yards and 2 touchdowns but with 2 interceptions.  The Heisman Trophy winner, on the other hand, had a great and yet a bit under par game. Let’s be realistic: he had been so amazing during the regular season that we were expecting some sort of touchdown-fest by both players. Still, Cam Newton completed 20 of his 34 attempts for 265 yards with 2 touchdowns and one early game pick. He was also the Tigers second best rusher. With 22 carriages for 64 yards Newton was only surpassed by Michael Dyer who recorded 22 carriages for 143 yards.

Among one of this carriages was the single play that changed it all. For a moment, Micheal Dyer wasn’t running anymore. The Oregon defender who had tackled him was standing right next to him. But the referee had his hands down and there was no Whistling. It was time to run again, run pass the motionless defender. Dyer’s knee never hit the ground: the play was still going. That 37-yard run changed everything. It was enough to set up the final field goal that would give the Tigers their first title in over half a decade, and the SEC its fifth consecutive National Title.

Blues drift to 6-1 for title retention after Villa draw

 By Mark Langdon 8:16PM 2 JAN 2011 PRE-SEASON title favourites Chelsea have drifted to 6-1 from 4-1 to retain their Premier League title after yet another failure left them languishing well off the pace in fifth position.

RELATED LINKS 25 pounds free bet Bet In-Play now  The astonishing 3-3 draw with Aston Villa at Stamford Bridge on Sunday has left the champions trailing leaders and even-money title favourites Manchester United by six points having played a game more.

Carlo Ancelotti claimed afterwards his team could still finish first, but few seem to believe the Italian with theBlues on a quite dismal run of one win in eight league outings.

Chelsea are 10-3 not to finish in the top four with Ancelotti
5-1 to be thenext top-flight boss to lose his job after Ciaran Clark salvaged a point with a last-gasp equaliser to deny the Londoners.

It wasn’t just Villa fans elated by the equaliser as bookmakers reported a multi-million pound swing on the draw, with 2-7 Chelsea seen as the cornerstone of a weekend which saw Saturday's eight Premier League favourites all win.

Wigan lost 1-0 at home to Newcastle to continue the fascinating relegation battle which sees just seven points separate ninth from bottom.

Newcastle are up to tenth and  out to 15-2 to be relegated following the deserved success at the DW Stadium which came courtesy of a scrambled Shola Amoebi first-half goal.

Wigan remain one point outside of the drop-zone and can be backed at 11-10 to be relegated.

Read Monday's RPSPORT for Huddersfield v Sheff Wed, Charlton v Swindon, Darlington v Barrow match previews, odds, form, stats and team news, Bank Holiday, Scottish and European coupon previews, Kevin Pullein, all the latest news and tools needed for a fabulous day and evening's football punting

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FacebookDeliciousDiggStumbleUpon   RELATED STORIES Rangers remain 10-11 for top flight return with title 7:04pm 3 Jan 2011 Prem favourite-backers enjoy new year payday 1:03pm 2 Jan 2011 Celtic cut to 11-10 for SPL after Ibrox success 8:03pm 2 Jan 2011 Fergie predicts a titanic tussle for title this year 7:11pm 31 Dec 2010 Red Devils 11-10 for title after unconvincing draw 8:23pm 28 Dec 2010 Ancelotti 5-6 to be gone by start of next season 8:22pm 28 Dec 2010 Red Devils 6-5 for title after Berbatov double 7:58pm 26 Dec 2010 Rafa looks set for return to Spain after Inter exit 2:16pm 23 Dec 2010 TOP STORIES England odds-on after taking control in Sydney 4:26pm 4 Jan 2011 Rangers remain 10-11 for top flight return with title 7:04pm 3 Jan 2011 England keep Aussies in check on rainy day one 1:29pm 3 Jan 2011 8:16pm 2 Jan 2011 Celtic cut to 11-10 for SPL after Ibrox success 8:03pm 2 Jan 2011 Win Old Firm books! 2:29pm 2 Jan 2011 Prem favourite-backers enjoy new year payday 1:03pm 2 Jan 2011 Fergie predicts a titanic tussle for title this year 7:11pm 31 Dec 2010 Taylor goes odds-on after Whitlock is sent packing 6:35pm 31 Dec 2010 Punters pile in as pressure grows on Roy 7:55pm 30 Dec 2010 Show All Current Stories LATEST STORIES England odds-on after taking control in Sydney 4:26pm 4 Jan 2011 Rangers remain 10-11 for top flight return with title 7:04pm 3 Jan 2011 England keep Aussies in check on rainy day one 1:29pm 3 Jan 2011 8:16pm 2 Jan 2011 Celtic cut to 11-10 for SPL after Ibrox success 8:03pm 2 Jan 2011 Win Old Firm books! 2:29pm 2 Jan 2011 Prem favourite-backers enjoy new year payday 1:03pm 2 Jan 2011 Fergie predicts a titanic tussle for title this year 7:11pm 31 Dec 2010 Taylor goes odds-on after Whitlock is sent packing 6:35pm 31 Dec 2010 Punters pile in as pressure grows on Roy 7:55pm 30 Dec 2010 Show All Current Stories FOOTBALL Rangers remain 10-11 for top flight return with title 7:04pm 3 Jan 2011 8:16pm 2 Jan 2011 Celtic cut to 11-10 for SPL after Ibrox success 8:03pm 2 Jan 2011 Win Old Firm books! 2:29pm 2 Jan 2011 Prem favourite-backers enjoy new year payday 1:03pm 2 Jan 2011 Fergie predicts a titanic tussle for title this year 7:11pm 31 Dec 2010 Punters pile in as pressure grows on Roy 7:55pm 30 Dec 2010 Reds rocked by 10-1 Wolves Anfield shocker 8:28pm 29 Dec 2010 FA look to put manager betting in the spotlight 8:27pm 29 Dec 2010 Red Devils 11-10 for title after unconvincing draw 8:23pm 28 Dec 2010 Show All Current Stories CRICKET England odds-on after taking control in Sydney 4:26pm 4 Jan 2011 England keep Aussies in check on rainy day one 1:29pm 3 Jan 2011 England 6-4 for SCG win after Ponting is ruled out 7:55pm 30 Dec 2010 England 4-11 for Ashes win after securing urn 1:58pm 29 Dec 2010 England 1-3 to retain urn in day four first session 1:54pm 28 Dec 2010 England 1-33 to keep urn after dream MCG day one 10:52am 26 Dec 2010 TENNIS Kim cut for Oz Slam defence after US stroll 9:13pm 12 Sep 2010 RUGBY Saints 8-11 to march on to regular season spoils 6:56pm 28 Dec 2010 OTHER SPORTS Taylor goes odds-on after Whitlock is sent packing 6:35pm 31 Dec 2010 Taylor drifts after battling into second round 11:46am 17 Dec 2010 Rocket still 9-2 for world title after Power win 11:49pm 31 Oct 2010 Froch retains title with scrappy win 11:56am 18 Oct 2009 Specialist road racers should shine at Infineon 8:34am 21 Jun 2009 Roush stable has pedigree to tame Nascar's Monster Mile 12:12pm 31 May 2009 Search our News Archive Sport News RSS Feed All Racing Post RSS Feeds Follow us on Twitter Follow us on Facebook Download our iPhone app

Rangers remain 10-11 for top flight return with title

 By Mark Langdon 7:04PM 3 JAN 2011 QPR remain odds-on at 10-11 to win the Championship despite being held to a 2-2 draw by Bristol City at Loftus Road on Monday.

RELATED LINKS 25 pounds free bet Bet In-Play now  Rangers, who are five points clear of the chasing pack, looked to have won it late on when Adel Taarabt scored from the penalty spot, but City’s Steve Caulker equalised at the deathto the agony of those who punted the hosts at 4-7.

Rangers manager Neil Warnock would have been frustrated at dropping two points, but he can comfort himself with the fact none of their perceived main title rivals bagged victories.

Swansea lost 2-1 at Leicester a result which allowed Norwich to move up to second thanks to their 1-1 draw at Middlesbrough.

A win for either Cardiff or Leeds in their mouthwatering match in Wales on Tuesday night would take them into the automatic promotion places.

The Bluebirds have been struggling for form, but they still deserve to be considered favourites to triumph over United in a game where there appears no value.

There were away wins for front two – Brighton and Southampton – in League One, while Bristol Rovers host cash-strapped Plymouth on Tuesday.

It is 3-1 the field in a tight League Two after leaders and favourites Chesterfield saw their advantage cut to two points despite a late comeback to earn a 2-2 draw at Accrington.

Rotherham, Wycombe and Port Vale all won to narrow the gap on John Sheridan’s side with three points separating the front four.

Read Tuesday's RPSPORT for Fulham v West Brom live match preview, two Premier League verdicts, odds, form, stats and team news, Kevin Pullein, all the latest news and tools needed for a fabulous day and evening's football punting

Download the NEW digital Racing Post from 3am or buy it as a PDF from 9am

Visit The Betting Site for the latest match odds, live football scores and expert verdicts. It's simply a better place to bet.

FacebookDeliciousDiggStumbleUpon   RELATED STORIES Celtic cut to 11-10 for SPL after Ibrox success 8:03pm 2 Jan 2011 Prem favourite-backers enjoy new year payday 1:03pm 2 Jan 2011 Blues drift to 6-1 for title retention after Villa draw 8:16pm 2 Jan 2011 Fergie predicts a titanic tussle for title this year 7:11pm 31 Dec 2010 Red Devils 11-10 for title after unconvincing draw 8:23pm 28 Dec 2010 Ancelotti 5-6 to be gone by start of next season 8:22pm 28 Dec 2010 Red Devils 6-5 for title after Berbatov double 7:58pm 26 Dec 2010 Rafa looks set for return to Spain after Inter exit 2:16pm 23 Dec 2010 TOP STORIES England odds-on after taking control in Sydney 4:26pm 4 Jan 2011 7:04pm 3 Jan 2011 England keep Aussies in check on rainy day one 1:29pm 3 Jan 2011 Blues drift to 6-1 for title retention after Villa draw 8:16pm 2 Jan 2011 Celtic cut to 11-10 for SPL after Ibrox success 8:03pm 2 Jan 2011 Win Old Firm books! 2:29pm 2 Jan 2011 Prem favourite-backers enjoy new year payday 1:03pm 2 Jan 2011 Fergie predicts a titanic tussle for title this year 7:11pm 31 Dec 2010 Taylor goes odds-on after Whitlock is sent packing 6:35pm 31 Dec 2010 Punters pile in as pressure grows on Roy 7:55pm 30 Dec 2010 Show All Current Stories LATEST STORIES England odds-on after taking control in Sydney 4:26pm 4 Jan 2011 7:04pm 3 Jan 2011 England keep Aussies in check on rainy day one 1:29pm 3 Jan 2011 Blues drift to 6-1 for title retention after Villa draw 8:16pm 2 Jan 2011 Celtic cut to 11-10 for SPL after Ibrox success 8:03pm 2 Jan 2011 Win Old Firm books! 2:29pm 2 Jan 2011 Prem favourite-backers enjoy new year payday 1:03pm 2 Jan 2011 Fergie predicts a titanic tussle for title this year 7:11pm 31 Dec 2010 Taylor goes odds-on after Whitlock is sent packing 6:35pm 31 Dec 2010 Punters pile in as pressure grows on Roy 7:55pm 30 Dec 2010 Show All Current Stories FOOTBALL 7:04pm 3 Jan 2011 Blues drift to 6-1 for title retention after Villa draw 8:16pm 2 Jan 2011 Celtic cut to 11-10 for SPL after Ibrox success 8:03pm 2 Jan 2011 Win Old Firm books! 2:29pm 2 Jan 2011 Prem favourite-backers enjoy new year payday 1:03pm 2 Jan 2011 Fergie predicts a titanic tussle for title this year 7:11pm 31 Dec 2010 Punters pile in as pressure grows on Roy 7:55pm 30 Dec 2010 Reds rocked by 10-1 Wolves Anfield shocker 8:28pm 29 Dec 2010 FA look to put manager betting in the spotlight 8:27pm 29 Dec 2010 Red Devils 11-10 for title after unconvincing draw 8:23pm 28 Dec 2010 Show All Current Stories CRICKET England odds-on after taking control in Sydney 4:26pm 4 Jan 2011 England keep Aussies in check on rainy day one 1:29pm 3 Jan 2011 England 6-4 for SCG win after Ponting is ruled out 7:55pm 30 Dec 2010 England 4-11 for Ashes win after securing urn 1:58pm 29 Dec 2010 England 1-3 to retain urn in day four first session 1:54pm 28 Dec 2010 England 1-33 to keep urn after dream MCG day one 10:52am 26 Dec 2010 TENNIS Kim cut for Oz Slam defence after US stroll 9:13pm 12 Sep 2010 RUGBY Saints 8-11 to march on to regular season spoils 6:56pm 28 Dec 2010 OTHER SPORTS Taylor goes odds-on after Whitlock is sent packing 6:35pm 31 Dec 2010 Taylor drifts after battling into second round 11:46am 17 Dec 2010 Rocket still 9-2 for world title after Power win 11:49pm 31 Oct 2010 Froch retains title with scrappy win 11:56am 18 Oct 2009 Specialist road racers should shine at Infineon 8:34am 21 Jun 2009 Roush stable has pedigree to tame Nascar's Monster Mile 12:12pm 31 May 2009 Search our News Archive Sport News RSS Feed All Racing Post RSS Feeds Follow us on Twitter Follow us on Facebook Download our iPhone app

NCAA Football – Auburn and Oregon take a go at the National Title

The BCS National Championship Game has been mostly reserved for college football blue bloods and football programs that have at least one National Championship on their pedigree. And yet, slowly but surely, both Auburn and Oregon have managed to finish a flawless season and at 13-0 and 12-0 respectively, are now going to play for the National Championship on January 10 at the Tositos BCS National Championship Game in Glendale, Arizona.

Get ready because this game is going to get as offensive as one can wish. Two of the finest offensive squads we have seen in the recent years are going to put all they’ve got on the line. The two top ranked teams in the country, are going to make it into the game and the stakes are high. Auburn has won every game of the season, including the Southeaster Conference Championship Game against South Carolina, 56-17. That is right after taking an intense 28-27 win over the defending Champions, the Alabama Crimson Tide.

On the other hand, Oregon has been outstanding in the PAC-10, making everybody know that after its second consecutive win in its conference, the Oregon Ducks are the new team to defeat in the Pacific 10 Conference. Forget USC, the Trojans were not even close, after the Ducks took them down 53-32 on October 30, and then kept on with their run to win each and every game of the season, including the Ducks 37-20 win over Oregon State, to secure their PAC-10 championship.

This is Oregon’s first chance to win the National Title. Auburn has one National Title on its pedigree, but it came back in 1957, way before the BCS was born in 1998. So it is quite a thrill to have a contender in the National Title Game who could be in its way to win the program’s first National Title ever. So, extra Kudos for Oregon for making it into the Tositos National Championship Bowl. As a matter of fact, only one other program, Virginia Tech back in 1999, has played in the BCS Championship Game without holding a National Title on their history.

This is also the second time ever, after Nebraska and Miami that two teams make it to the BCS Championship Game for the first time ever. This is also the first time that two teams that where not ranked inside the AP Poll’s top 10, at the beginning of the season manage to make it into the National Championship Game. At the beginning of the year, the Oregon Ducks were ranked 11th while the Auburn Tigers where second in their own state, behind coaching legend Nick Saban and the defending champions Alabama. The Tigers were ranked the 23rd team in the Nation at the beginning of the season.

Here is one extra little detail to bring into this equation. It seems very plausible that by the time the Tositos National Championship Bowl is played, Auburn will have the privilage to start Cam Newton, not only as one of the finest quarterbacks the sport has seen in recent years, but also as the Heisman Trophy winner. That could bring on a special little ingredient into the mix. Last season the trophy went to Mark Ingram from Alabama, and he was key in the Crimson Tide’s sweet performance in the Championship game. Perhaps this year, if the Heisman goes to Newton, there will be a good chance that he could guide the Tigers to their second National Championship.

Joseph O'Brien double cuts apprentice title lead to two

Watch Joseph O'Brien in winning action at Dundalk

Joseph O'Brien double cuts title lead to two By Jessica Lamb 3:04PM 8 DEC 2010 

A DOUBLE at Dundalk on Wednesday for Joseph O'Brien leaves him trailing apprentice championship leaders Gary Carroll and Ben Curtis by just two winners with one meeting remaining.

Despite O'Brien's double, William Hill still make him an unlikely winner and offer 16-1 about him snatching a last-gasp victory. The same firm make Carroll and Curtis their 10-11 joint-favourites.

O'Brien scored on Mr Pianist in the 1m4f handicap and on 2-7 favourite Alexander Pope in the 1m conditions race. He also came close to winning the opening 1m juvenile maiden on Pirate Chest but finished second to stablemate Last Crusade.

Carroll and Curtis both drew blanks on the card and remain on the 39 winner mark, with O'Brien progressingto 37. 

The championship comes to an exciting conclusion at Dundalk on Friday evening.

Joseph O'Brien (37 winners)

Gary Carroll (39 winners)

Ben Curtis (39 winners)

 

Irish Apprentice Title

William Hill bet: 10-11 Ben Curtis, Gary Carroll, 16-1 Joseph O’Brien – Win Only (Dead-heat rules apply)

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Photo Finish For Irish Jockey’s Title

Long after the British apprentice jockey’s title was settled in favour of Martin Lane at the season ending finale at Doncaster in early November, their Irish counterparts continue to battle it out to the bitter end in one of the closes races for the title for many years, a race that with less than a week to go is still looking for a definitive winner, writes Elliot Slater.

A winner at Dundalk on Saturday placed Gary Carroll, (winner of the title 12 months ago), on a seasonal total of 38 winners, one winner ahead of his nearest pursuer Ben Curtis, who in turn is just three winners ahead of young Joseph O’Brien, son of Ballydoyle maestro, Aidan.

Carroll stepped back into the lead for the title when partnering Kalann to victory in the last race of the day at a freezing Dundalk, a vital advantage with the race for the title set to end on Friday. With three racing days scheduled before the end of the Irish season, (all at Dundalk), the title is still up for grabs with each of the three contenders set to receive significant support from those stables that have been behind them all the way since the start of the season in early spring.

Carroll landed the 2009 title with a total of 44 winners, a number he is unlikely to achieve this time. Doubtless, more than the number of winners, it is the retention of his title that is Carroll’s main concern, and with Mick Halford and Patrick J Flynn continuing to do their utmost to provide him with the best ammunition, racing tips for today seem to suggest that he has a favourite’s chance.

Neither Curtis nor O’Brien however has given up on bridging the gap in what promises to be a thrilling finish to the Irish apprentice championship.

Tags: apprentice, Ben Curtis, Gary Carroll, ireland, Irish, jockey, titleShare

Carroll and Curtis draw clear of O'Brien in title race

Gary Carroll (centre) and Ben Curtis (right) had winners at Dundalk

  PICTURE: Patrick McCann (racingpost.com/photos)  Carroll and Curtis clear of O'Brien in title race
 By Tony O'Hehir and James Burn 5:29PM 5 DEC 2010 THE race for the Irish apprentice title took a twist at Dundalk on Sunday when defending champion Gary Carroll and Ben Curtis drew four winners clear of Joseph O'Brien.

William Hill cannot split them as they go even-money the pair, while O'Brien is an 8-1 shot.

RELATED LINKS Dundalk results  Carroll started the day a winner ahead of Curtis, and three in front of O'Brien, and despite partnering Sampers to success in the second could race - his 39th win of the season - he was pegged back by Curtis, who landed a double thanks to victories on Valbonne and Home Secretary.

Sampers is trained by Michael Halford, who said of Carroll:  "He works very hard and is a hell of a good rider.

"It would be great if he can win the title again as riding through the season with only a 3lb claim has made things that much tougher for him."

O'Brien, whose championship challenge has been disrupted by suspensions, was out of luck with his six rides on Sunday.

Dundalk also stages the final two meetings of the season on Wednesday and Friday.

Irish apprentice title 2010

William Hill: Evens Gary Carroll, Ben Curtis, 8 Joseph O'Brien (win only, dead-heat rules apply)

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NCAA Football – Cam Newton brilliant season guides Auburn to BCS title

Cameron Jerrell Newton was for a while living under the shadow of Tim Tebow over at the Florida Gators. In 2007, as a freshman, Cam Newton was the back-up quarterback for Heisman Trophy winner, Tim Tebow. An ankle injury kept him away so he took a medical red-shirt year, then transferred to Blinn College where he won the 2009 NJCAA National Football Championship and became the No.1 recruit in the country. When Newton finally made his move to Auburn University, the Tigers where about to experience one of their finest seasons ever.

Newton was absolutely brilliant against the SEC championship game as he lead the Tigers against South Carolina for a 56-17 win. Newton passed for a career high 335 yards, completing 17 of his 28 attempts for 4 touchdowns and no interceptions. He ran for a pair of touchdowns and was simply outstanding in his one-man show. The Tigers must now wait until Sunday afternoon to make it official, but considering that the Oregon Ducks defeated Oregon State 37-20, it is almost a fact that the two top-ranked and undefeated teams in the country will be playing on January 10 in Glendale Arizona for the BCS National Championship Game.

There is one ugly side to this story. TCU, the little school that almost could, was shut down from the BCS title, despite their perfect record. Had Oregon or Auburn failed to win their last game of the season, TCU would have become the first school from a non-BCS conference to play for the National Title.

Newton should now start striking a pose for when they announce the Heisman Trophy winner for this season.  The 6-foot-6, 250 pound junior has had a season that has just come a tad short from perfection. He has now joined Tebow as the only player in a top division conference to run and pass for over 20 touchdowns in a season.  And let’s just face the fact that he can pass and run just as good as anyone else in the league can. Regardless of what happens in the National Championship Game, it shouldn’t be too long before we see Newton playing on Sundays.

Misfiring strikers leave top goalscorer title wide open

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Carlos Tevez may be doing well at Manchester City, but none of the other big name strikers in the Premier League have shown themselves to be consistently at the top of their game so far this season, despite Dimitar Berbatov starting this season in what many deemed to be the form of his life.

As a result of this, the Premier League Golden Boot market with most bookies is wide open. However, with strikers as well as clubs likely to hit form sooner rather than later, there must surely be someone out there ready and willing to grab hold of their chance to win the Golden Boot title.

It may well be that the identity of that man is more familiar than you may at first think. With Wayne Rooney now seemingly ready to come back and hit form for a Manchester United side he needs to prove himself to after flirting with other teams, including rivals City, just a few weeks ago, perhaps the one way that he can show his renewed loyalty is by firing his team to a 19th Premier League title. He certainly looks a good value football bet right now.

This, of course, is nothing more than a prediction, and the quality and previous goalscoring records of both Fernando Torres and Didier Drogba mean that they cannot be discounted from coming back and putting together a string of fine performances that end with them hauling themselves to the top of the Golden Boot table in the space of just a couple of weeks. However, the Manchester United betting suggests Rooney could mount  a run.

Whatever the result of the Golden Boot competition, its impact on the destination of the Premier League title cannot be underestimated as the leading striker is often part of the country’s top team.

2010-11 Big Ten College Basketball Conference Title Odds

By Robert Ferringo

Here are the odds to win the Big Ten Conference regular season title. Wager is on team to win conference listed. Tiebreaker is team who gets lower seed (1 seed is lowest) in conference tournament is winning wager.

Below the college basketball odds I have some predictions, recommendations, or suggestions - whatever you want to call them - on how to wager this futures bet. Enjoy.

Indiana

2010-11 ACC College Basketball Conference Title Odds

By Robert Ferringo

Here are the odds to win the Atlantic Coast Conference regular season title this year. Wager is on team to win conference listed. Tiebreaker is team who gets lower seed (1 seed is lowest) in conference tournament is winning wager.

Below the college basketball odds I have some predictions, recommendations, or suggestions - whatever you want to call them - on how to wager this futures bet. Enjoy.

Boston College

2010-11 SEC College Basketball Conference Title Odds

By Robert Ferringo

Here are the odds to win the SEC East regular season title. Wager is on team to win conference listed. Tiebreaker is team who gets lower seed (1 seed is lowest) in conference tournament is winning wager.
Below the college basketball odds I have some predictions, recommendations, or suggestions - whatever you want to call them - on how to wager this futures bet. Enjoy.

Florida

2010-11 Big East College Basketball Conference Title Odds

By Robert Ferringo

Here are the odds to win the Big East regular season title. Wager is on team to win conference listed. Tiebreaker is team who gets lower seed (1 seed is lowest) in conference tournament is winning wager

Below the college basketball odds I have some predictions, recommendations, or suggestions - whatever you want to call them - on how to wager this futures bet. Enjoy.

Connecticut

Blues eased to 4-6 for title as Wilkins goes

 By Dan Childs 8:27PM 11 NOV 2010 CHELSEA have made a confident start to the season but the impression of dressing-room harmony has been cast into doubt after Thursday’s announcement that assistant manager Ray Wilkins was leaving the club with immediate effect.

Blues chief executive Ron Gourlay confirmed that the club had decided against renewing the 54-year-old’s contract but it seems a sudden development considering the high regard in which Wilkins was held by Chelsea manager Carlo Ancelotti.

In Ancelotti’s biography, published two months ago, he said of Wilkins: “Without him, we couldn’t have won a thing, and we would not have started the year at supersonic speed.”

Victor Chandler appear to agree because they have eased the Blues’ title odds from 4-7 to 4-6.

Ian Holloway has threatened to quit as Blackpool manager if he is fined by the FA after making ten changes to his team for the 3-2 defeat at Aston Villa on Wednesday and if he sticks to his word, there is a chance that he may soon be clearing his desk.

Wolves boss Mick McCarthy received a suspended fine for fielding a weakened team at Manchester United last term and Hills go 8-13 that Holloway will be fined.

Joey Barton has admitted a charge of violent conduct by the Football Association during Newcastle's 2-1 home defeat by Blackburn on Wednesday night and will be banned for three Premier League games (Fulham on Saturday, Bolton and Chelsea).

Barton struck Morten Gamst Pedersen in the ribs during the second-half at St James' Park but, with referee Mike Jones unsighted, initially went unpunished.

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