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The chase for the 2012 Stanley Cup betting lines is now halfway over with, and here at Bankroll Sports, we are getting you all pumped for what should be a fantastic second half of the year. Check out our Stanley Cup odds and the teams that we think that you should be backing right now to win it all.

You have to go back to the late 1990s to find the last time that a team proved to win the Stanley Cup in back to back years, but the Boston Bruins (Current 2012 Stanley Cup Odds: 5.50 to 1 @ Bovada Sportsbook) are the favorites to make that happen once again. The B’s are the real deal, and they are playing some of the best hockey that we have seen a team play in the regular season in quite some time. Tim Thomas is well on his way to yet another Vezina Trophy, and though they aren’t the top seed in the East as of the publication on this article (1/15/12), we do think that they will get there by the time the season is said and done with. That being said, someone is going to have to find a way to win a hockey game in Beantown, and it won’t be easy to say the least, especially in the postseason.

The teams that you would figure to be the powerhouses in the Eastern Conference aren’t really all that fantastic this year, and we are surprised that we can get such a great price on the New York Rangers (Odds To Win the Stanley Cup: 12 to 1 @ SportBet Sportsbook). The Pittsburgh Penguins have stumbled upon a rash of injuries to the point that they aren’t even in the playoff picture right now in the East, and the Washington Capitals are flirting right on the outside of the playoffs as well. The Philadelphia Flyers are dangerous, but they haven’t proven that they can keep a steady goaltender and won’t be with their best defender, Chris Pronger for the rest of the season. That being said, the Rangers might be the real deal this year. Henrik Lundqvist is amazing, and he is having another great season in which he is going to challenge for the Vezina Trophy as well. The real difference came when Brad Richards was signed, as it finally brought an offensive star to the Big Apple. Now, New York is scoring goals, and Lundqvist is making them stand up, and for as long as he can continue doing that, the Rangers are in great shape.

List Of Previous Stanley Cup Champions (Since 2000)
2011 Stanley Cup Champions – Boston Bruins
2010 Stanley Cup Champions – Chicago Blackhawks
2009 Stanley Cup Champions – Pittsburgh Penguins
2008 Stanley Cup Champions – Detroit Red Wings
2007 Stanley Cup Champions – Anaheim Ducks
2006 Stanley Cup Champions – Carolina Hurricanes
2005 Stanley Cup Champions – None, Labor Dispute
2004 Stanley Cup Champions – Tampa Bay Lightning
2003 Stanley Cup Champions – New Jersey Devils
2002 Stanley Cup Champions – Detroit Red Wings
2001 Stanley Cup Champions – Colorado Avalanche
2000 Stanley Cup Champions – New Jersey Devils

The team that we have fallen in love with this year is the St. Louis Blues (Odds To Win the 2011-12 NHL Championship: 25 to 1 @ SportBet Sportsbook). Brian Elliott was one of the worst net minders in the whole league last year with Ottawa (and then Colorado), but he has had a real renaissance in St. Louis. He and Jaroslav Halak are both fantastic between the pipes, and as a result, the Blues have the best defensive numbers in the Western Conference. This is a brutal division that St. Louis is playing in, and we still are a bit afraid that they are going to be snubbed at the end by the likes of the Chicago Blackhawks and the Detroit Red Wings, but in the end, they’re going to be in the postseason in some form, and anything can happen when you latch onto a hot defense and a hot goalie. There were some veteran names added into the mix for the Blues this year to help out a very young core that has been growing quite well together, and the chemistry is there for this team to make a deep run into the summer this year.

Still, the road to the Stanley Cup is likely going through the Vancouver Canucks (Odds To Win The Stanley Cup: 6.25 to 1 @ SportBet Sportsbook). Vancouver is clearly the safest play on the board right now, as it is a team that is going to win the Northwest Division, thus it won’t be any worse than the No. 3 seed in the playoffs. That being said, the Canucks still have all of that talent that has been playing together for years, and as long as Roberto Luongo, Daniel Sedin, and Henrik Sedin remain healthy, they are all going to be men to watch out for, not just to compile some awesome stats in the regular season, but in the playoffs as well.

We have been talking about them as dark horses all season long, and we are still willing to take a shot on the Montreal Canadiens (Stanley Cup Odds: 80 to 1 @ SportBet Sportsbook). We just look at the back end of the playoffs in the Eastern Conference right now and shake our heads. Scott Gomez is now healthy, and the acquisition of Rene Bourque may change the whole way that this team plays hockey even though it was an expensive trade for the Habs. But is this Montreal team really worse than the likes of the Florida Panthers, Ottawa Senators, and Toronto Maple Leafs? Again, we see Washington and Pittsburgh struggling, and we wonder whether the East really has become wide open this year. Sure, the Canadiens only have 40 points through 44 games, and they’ll likely need 50 in their final 38 to get into the playoffs, but we aren’t counting them out, and we know if they get there, they could be a force to be reckoned with if Carey Price stays on his game.

Odds To Win The 2011-12 Stanley Cup @ SportBet Sportsbook (as of 1/15/12):
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Boston Bruins 5.50 to 1
Vancouver Canucks 6.25 to 1
San Jose Sharks 10 to 1
Chicago Blackhawks 11 to 1
Detroit Red Wings 11 to 1
Philadelphia Flyers 11 to 1
New York Rangers 12 to 1
Pittsburgh Penguins 12 to 1
Washington Capitals 16 to 1
Los Angeles Kings 25 to 1
St. Louis Blues 25 to 1
Nashville Predators 33 to 1
Dallas Stars 40 to 1
Florida Panthers 40 to 1
New Jersey Devils 40 to 1
Toronto Maple Leafs 40 to 1
Buffalo Sabres 50 to 1
Minnesota Wild 50 to 1
Phoenix Coyotes 66 to 1
Colorado Avalanche 80 to 1
Montreal Canadiens 80 to 1
Ottawa Senators 80 to 1
Tampa Bay Lightning 80 to 1
Winnipeg Jets 80 to 1
Calgary Flames 100 to 1
Edmonton Oilers 200 to 1
New York Islanders 300 to 1
Anaheim Ducks 500 to 1
Carolina Hurricanes 500 to 1
Columbus Blue Jackets 500 to 1

Odds to Win 2011-12 NHL Championship @ Bovada Sportsbook (as of 1/15/12):
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Boston Bruins 11 to 2
Vancouver Canucks 6 to 1
Chicago Blackhawks 9 to 1
New York Rangers 9 to 1
San Jose Sharks 10 to 1
Detroit Red Wings 12 to 1
Philadelphia Flyers 12 to 1
Pittsburgh Penguins 12 to 1
St. Louis Blues 12 to 1
Washington Capitals 18 to 1
Florida Panthers 25 to 1
Los Angeles Kings 25 to 1
Toronto Maple Leafs 28 to 1
Nashville Predators 30 to 1
Dallas Stars 35 to 1
New Jersey Devils 35 to 1
Minnesota Wild 40 to 1
Ottawa Senators 40 to 1
Buffalo Sabres 50 to 1
Colorado Avalanche 50 to 1
Phoenix Coyotes 60 to 1
Winnipeg Jets 60 to 1
Calgary Flames 75 to 1
Montreal Canadiens 75 to 1
Tampa Bay Lightning 75 to 1
Edmonton Oilers 100 to 1
Anaheim Ducks 250 to 1
Carolina Hurricanes 250 to 1
New York Islanders 300 to 1
Columbus Blue Jackets 500 to 1

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It’s playoff time once again for the men of the hardwood and on the ice! Here at Bankroll Sports, we’re still taking our best shots at the teams, players, and situations that really cost us sports bettors in a big way in the week that was.

Rap Sheet Picture of the Week
Montreal Canadiens G Jaroslav Halak, who blew a three goal lead and gave up this game-winner 31 seconds into overtime.

All of the home teams in the NHL playoffs should be ashamed of themselves. Not a single one of the are hitting the road up two games this week. However, the team we really need to take a stab at right off the bat is the Montreal Canadiens. The rest of the NHL hates you right now, Montreal. After all, the Habs were up 1-0 in the series after stealing Game 1 at the Verizon Center, and they held a 4-1 lead following LW Andrei Kostitsyn’s third goal of the game with just over two minutes to play in the second period. G Jose Theodore had already been ran out of the game and replaced by G Semyon Varlamov, and the Habs looked primed to take a 2-0 lead back to the Great White North. Not so fast, my friends. They were outscored 4-1 during the next 20 minutes of hockey, and then just 31 ticks into the overtime, C Nicklas Backstrom connected for the game-winner, his third goal of the game. Enjoy being bounced from this series in five games, Montreal. You had your chance to slay the giants in the playoffs, and now you’re going to pay the ultimate price for not succeeding.

Give it up for Jason Marquis, ladies and gentlemen! The right-hander has been an absolutely abortion of a signing for the Nationals on the outset of this season, as he has given up at least six earned runs in each of his starts and is 0-3 to show for it. On Sunday though, he had one of the more embarrassing starts that any pitcher has seen in this ’10 MLB betting campaign. Marquis gave up a single to Rickie Weeks, a single to Craig Counsell, a single to Ryan Braun, plunked Prince Fielder, walked Casey McGehee, plunked Jim Edmonds, and gave up a single to Gregg Zaun, and was promptly removed without recording an out. Seven batters faced. Seven batters scored. Solid job, Marquis. Your numbers for the year now? 8.1 innings pitched, 18 hits, 20 runs (19 earned), 2 HRs, 7 walks, 3 plunks, 3 strikeouts, a WHIP of 2.88, a batting average against of .419, and an ERA of 20.52. Doesn’t get much better than that.

Hey, Kevin Garnett, you haven’t cost us any money yet, but we totally see this one coming. For whatever reason, you decided to elbow G Quentin Richardson in the face with 40 seconds to play in a game in which your Celtics stormed back from a 61-47 deficit halfway through the third quarter to win by nine. Now, the NBA’s sheriff, Commissioner David Stern, is inevitably going to suspend you for Game 2 of this series (if not longer). Isn’t your team already woeful enough at home with you in the lineup that you can’t afford to take yourself out of a playoff game for no good reason? C’mon KG, you’re better than this.

The Stanley Cup Playoffs are about to begin on Wednesday night, and the NHL betting lines at Sportsbook.com are locked, loaded, and ready to go! Here at Bankroll Sports, we’re tearing apart the Stanley Cup odds and giving you our free NHL predictions for what team will be lifting the Cup in a few weeks.

There really isn’t any other place to start than with the top point scoring team in the league, the Washington Capitals (+400 at Sportsbook.com). The Caps are rightfully the chalks on the board after scoring a whopping 121 points on the year. The Caps averaged a whopping 3.8 goals per game this season and had the most lethal power play in the league at a 25.2 percent conversion rate. Playing at the Verizon Center, Washington went 30-5-6 this year, easily the best record in the NHL. However, someone is going to have to figure out how to beat the Caps there to win the Stanley Cup, which is why they’re a tremendous selection at great odds.

Perhaps the most overrated team on the board are the defending champs, the Pittsburgh Penguins (+500 at Sportsbook.com). Sure, the Pens had the third most points in the Eastern Conference with 101, but they probably aren’t quite as strong as last season’s Stanley Cup team was. G Marc-Andre Fleury could catch fire like he did at times during last postseason, and Richard Trophy winner C Sidney Crosby can always single-handedly put the team on his shoulders, but a potential draw of Ottawa, Washington, and New Jersey just to get to the Stanley Cup Finals is going to be a very difficult path to take.

In the Western Conference, the top seven teams all finished the year with at least 100 points, so this may be the spot to go with an underdog.

Just based on history alone, the San Jose Sharks (+500 at Sportsbook.com) are simply an awful wager. In spite of the fact that it feels like they’re either the #1 or #2 seed in the Western Conference every single season, they haven’t even advanced to the Western Conference Final since 2004. However, in San Jose, there’s always a belief that this is the year for the Sharks, especially since the line of Patrick Marleau, Dany Heatley, and Joe Thornton, which helped carry the Canadians to the Gold Medal in the Olympics, combined to score 254 points. The good news is that the #8 Colorado Avalanche are by far and away the worst team in this conference that made the second season. The bad news is that the Detroit Red Wings, who have won the Western Conference for two straight seasons, could be on deck.

If you’re looking for a bit of an underdog, consider the #3 seed in the West, the Vancouver Canucks (+1000 at Sportsbook.com). Any team that has G Roberto Luongo between the pipes has a chance of winning against any team in the NHL, and unlike in years past where it was the offense that struggled to produce while Luongo was posting fantastic numbers, this year, the Canucks 272 goals was tops in the Western Conference. The Canucks will open up the ’10 playoffs with a duel against the #6 Los Angeles Kings, who look to be one of the weaker teams in the tournament on this side of the draw.

Stanley Cup Odds @ Sportsbook.com (as of 4/12/10):
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Boston Bruins +4000
Buffalo Sabres +1500
Chicago Blackhawks +450
Colorado Avalanche +7500
Detroit Red Wings +800
Los Angeles Kings +4000
Montreal Canadians +5000
Nashville Predators +5000
New Jersey Devils +1000
Ottawa Senators +3000
Philadelphia Flyers +5000
Phoenix Coyotes +2000
Pittsburgh Penguins +500
San Jose Sharks +500
Vancouver Canucks +1000
Washington Capitals +400

It was an awkward week of sports betting action, as the start of the baseball betting season continued to cross with red hot sporting events on the ice, hardwood, and links. Here’s what we’re ranting about this week at Bankroll Sports!

Rap Sheet Picture of the Week
New York Rangers G Henrik Lundqvist, who was the losing goalie in Sunday’s elimination game for the final slot in the Eastern Conference playoffs.

Tiger Woods is really getting under my skin right now, and for various reasons. Not only am I irked that the entire PGA Tour betting event this week at the Masters was covered by Tiger this and Tiger that, but I also hate how everyone said that Woods couldn’t figure out how to put this together after taking six months away from the Tour. He’s still Tiger Freaking Woods. No, Tiger didn’t win it on Sunday, but he sure had his dramatic moments to finish just a few shots behind and with yet another Top 10 finish in a major. That being said, I’m still ticked that everyone spent so much time talking about Tiger that there were two stories that just totally went under the radar. Good thing that Phil Mickelson won the event, or no one would’ve ever remembered the name of the winner. I mean really… why not just give Tiger the Green Jacket, too? After all, he was the center of this whole ordeal these past four days, right? And why no love for 16-year old Matteo Manassero, who made the cut and finished at +4 for the tournament? If this kid can finish +4 at the age of 16 and make the Masters cut, maybe there’s another Tiger Woods on our hands that we’ll be discussing in a few years.

A week into MLB betting action and we already have a little bit of history… and not the good kind either. How’s about allowing a whopping 13 runs in an inning? Nice job, Pittsburgh Pirates. The 13 run outburst featured eight hits, four walks, three homers (one of which was to Edwin Jackson, the pitcher, who spent the last couple seasons in the American League), a triple, and a tad bit of miserable fielding to boot. It took three pitchers to get through the frame for the Bucs, as Darren McCutchen, Hayden Penn, and Jack Taschner were all used and all touched up. If you’re interested, through one week of play, McCutchen has an ERA of 24.30 and Penn has one of 30.86. Stellar ball, guys. Stellar.

Let’s take a stab at the Boston Celtics as well. Just a week after watching the San Antonio Spurs get destroyed by the New Jersey Nets, the C’s pulled off one just as sharp. In the fight for the #3 seed in the Eastern Conference, they were knocked off by the lowly Washington Wizards on their home court 106-96. Even more embarrassing was the fact that they put up 42 points in the 4th quarter and still were beaten and beaten badly. The Wiz outscored Boston 52-31 in a very uninspired first half of ball. Over their L/52 games, the Celtics are only 27-25 after starting 18 games over .500 over the first couple months of the year. That won’t cut it in the playoffs, that’s for sure.

The first week of April brings the rare crossover between four major sports, as the MLB, NHL, NBA, and NCAA hoops all collide. But before we look ahead at the week that will be, here at Bankroll Sports, we’re analyzing the week that was and giving all sorts of heck to those that have drawn our ire as sports betting fanatics.

Rap Sheet Picture of the Week
Philadelphia Eagles HC Andy Reid, who looks angrier than ever about the fact that his franchise quarterback, Donovan McNabb was traded for peanuts in his own division.

There’s no better place to start than in the NBA this week, and boy, would we love to give a piece of our mind to the New Orleans Hornets. You get G Chris Paul, your pride and joy, back in the lineup after he missed what felt like an eternity to this franchise, and you promptly come out and beat the Lakers on your home court. Great, right? After all, it’s not often that you can give up 31 points to G Kobe Bryant and 26 points and 22 rebounds to F Pau Gasol and live to tell about it. However… What gives after that, Hornets? As 9.5 point favorites, the Wizards came into New Orleans Arena and spanked the Hornets 96-91. That was followed up by a nine point loss in Memphis, which we deem to be excusable. But losing to the Nets? By four touchdowns? The 115-87 win for Jersey was clearly its biggest ‘W’ of the season, and it came at the expense of a team that just looks like it has given up. Don’t worry, the laughs aren’t over quite yet if you missed this embarrassing one in Jersey. Minnesota is still on the schedule!

This may not have a heck of a lot to do with gambling at this point, but is there any doubt that the Philadelphia Eagles are getting smacked by the Washington Redskins twice this season? Apparently, making it to five NFC Championship Games and a Super Bowl wasn’t enough for QB Donovan McNabb, so the Iggles shipped him out of town. Ok, no problem, right? After all, guys get traded at the end of their careers all the time. But to send him to Washington??? You’re just asking to get whooped up on, Philly. And this blogger, who notoriously hates the Redskins, is going to love watching McNabb come back into the City of Brotherly Love and beat the snot out of your team this season.

The bullpen for the New York Yankees is already off to a flying start this year. You’d figure in and amongst all of the money that this team spends that they’d learn that eventually, a bullpen is going to help you out, right? But no, apparently having leads of 5-1 and 7-5 aren’t good enough. It’s not bad enough that David Robertson allowed his only inherited runner to cross home plate, but then Chan Ho Park proved once again why the Yanks have no clue how to spend their bucks by giving up three runs (two earned) in a three-run seventh. Don’t worry Joba Chamberlain, we’re not forgetting the three hits and a run you gave up in your 1.1 innings worked either. The final stat line for the New York pen? 2.2 IPs, 4 runs (3 earned), 6 hits, 2 walks, 1 K, 1 HR allowed. That’s a WHIP of 3.00 and an ERA of 13.50. Stellar job, boys. Stellar.

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Rap Sheet Picture of the Week
The crash of two Korean speed skaters on the final turn of Saturday night’s race that allowed American
Apolo Ohno to take the silver medal and prevented South Korea from sweeping the podium.

I could just rant all week about the Big East. We’ll start with you, Notre Dame Fighting Irish. I thought you wanted to really go dancing at some point so that you could say that you didn’t totally waste four years of having C Luke Harangody on your roster. At least you stuck in front of the college basketball betting line against Seton Hall, but what gives about losing at home to the Johnnies? You’re not exempt of this one either, Louisville Cardinals. Yeah, yeah, that win against Syracuse was really nice on Sunday, but truth be told, that only made up for your complete 74-55 dud against St. John’s on Thursday. Speaking of upsets that make no sense whatsoever… Hey Connecticut Huskies, how do you ever expect to make March Madness when you’re only score 48 points at home against Cincinnati? Your four top scorers should be worth more than that every single night! Finally, Georgetown Hoyas, you just stink. Rutgers is awful. Period. A-W-F-U-L, awful! There’s no excuse, even on the road, for you to be losing to a team like that. And you think you’re a #2 seed in the dance? The only thing you’re number two in right now is my doghouse.

Man, Houston Rockets… You were the probably the worst of the worst last week down in South Beach. How do you only score 66 points in an NBA game? I mean seriously, how is that possible? Yeah, fine. So you were without Gs Kyle Lowry and Trevor Ariza. I get it. You were shorthanded. Me and four other boards with angry faces could probably shoot better than 30.2% from the field for a game, and I’m only 5’7″ on a good day. Oh, by the way… Don’t think that I’m not looking at you G Aaron Brooks. You can’t shoot 3/16 from the floor by yourself in a game.

How’s about a little more effort here, Air Force Falcons. Ok, so you were 22.5-point underdogs going into Provo against BYU on Saturday. Fine. At least try to pretend like you can win the game. Instead, you got rolled up, getting outscored 53-20 in the first half and ultimately losing 91-48. Your 22 turnovers made you look like a circus out there on the court. The Bad News Bears may have done better than that.

Nice week, G Antero Niittymaki. There’s a reason that the Lightning just can’t quite seem to get over the hump once and for all and crack back into the Eastern Conference postseason. After putting up a stretch of games that had everyone in Tampa Bay holding up “Getting Niitty With It” signs, he gave up four goals in the first period of Thursday night’s game against the Bruins, and followed that up by conceding five two nights later against the Islanders. Oh by the way, G Mike Smith, you’re not exempt from this one either. Giving up four against the Rangers on the final day of the regular season before the NHL hockey season took a hiatus for the Olympics wasn’t swift either.