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Tiger Primed for Masters; 2009 Masters Odds

March 29th, 2009 by Travis Edwards (Bankroll Sports Contributor) | Posted in Golf / PGA Tour   1 Comment »

Tiger WoodsA few months back, we broke down Tiger Woods’ expected return to golf and perhaps how long it would take the biggest icon in sports to shock the world again after making his return from being out of golf for 8 months due to reconstructive knee surgery. Well those questions were answered this Sunday, when Tiger pulled off yet another jaw dropping spectacle at the Arnold Palmer Invitational. If you were not aware of Tiger’s accomplishments through his career, you might find the 5 stroke comeback on Sunday’s final round a bit impressive. However, like most that have followed the lucrative career from Tiger we have come to expect these type of things that amaze us time and time again. Woods shot a final round 3 under 67 and drained a 15 foot birdie on the 18th hole to capture the Arnold Palmer Invitational late Sunday. The victory tied for the biggest final round comeback in Woods’ career in the tournament that was the final tune-up for the first major of the season that will be The Masters in two weeks from Augusta, Georgia.

There were a few people just starting to question if Tiger may be really ready to compete at the first major on the schedule for 2009. After some sluggish putting and questionable few Tournaments back from knee surgery, Woods still appeared a bit rusty from the time off. However, Sunday’s win will have most people back on the Woods ban wagon just in time for The Masters. If you thought about jumping out quick to throw a bet on Tiger winning his 15th career major tournament, then don’t expect to find jackpot type profiting odds. Before Tiger even made the miraculous comeback on Sunday, the superstar was already a 2/1 favorite to win at Augusta in mid April. The closest other competitor in terms of betting odds is Phil Mickelson who stands at a 6/1 favorite to win The Masters.

Taking a look at this year’s field we will take a brief preview of the odds to win the Masters and who to take in consideration. Tiger will of course be the favorite at 2/1 odds, but it is almost a losing type bet. The odds to only double your money by predicting a winner in a golf tournament are extremely low, but Woods has won 4 green jackets and he is the guy to beat every year. However if you might want to take a more profitable approach to your bet there are a few others to strongly consider. Phil Mickelson has played well through the beginning of 2009 and has won twice at Augusta as well. Mickelson receiving reasonable odds at 6/1 and will definitely be worth the consideration. Zach Johnson has one win on tour this season and finished 3rd at the Arnold Palmer Invitation. Johnson is also a winner of the 2007 Masters and stands at an eye opening 33/1 odds for the win in April. Johnson style of play is definitely one to consider when the tour rolls into Augusta. Retief Goosen has also played well early in 2009. Goosen is a two time major champion who always plays solid at Augusta and is currently a 25/1 favorite to win. Despite the many players that look like they could be promising picks to take down the first championship of the season, likely Tiger will be the guy to beat. Outside of the 4 green jackets, Tiger has finished runner-up the last two years as well. Unfortunately for Woods, anything but a win would be disappointing considering how often he has shocked the sports world through his most recent performances.

Here are the current 2009 Masters odds from BetUS Sportsbook (Get a 100% signup bonus up to $500 by clicking here):

Aaron Baddeley       125/1
Adam Scott      70/1
Alvaro Quiros      150/1
Andres Romero      90/1
Angel Cabrera      125/1
Anthony Kim      35/1
Ben Crenshaw      1500/1
Ben Curtis      175/1
Bernhard Langer      250/1
Billy Mayfair      450/1
Boo Weekley      125/1
Brandt Snedeker      125/1
Briny Baird      250/1
Bubba Watson      200/1
Camilo Villegas      45/1
Carl Pettersson      200/1
Chad Campbell      100/1
Chez Reavie      450/1
Craig Stadler      2000/1
D.J. Trahan      150/1
Danny Lee      200/1
Drew Kittleson      750/1
Dudley Hart      350/1
Dustin Johnson      150/1
Ernie Els      35/1
Fred Couples      55/1
Fuzzy Zoeller      2000/1
Gary Player      10000/1
Geoff Ogilvy      16/1
Graeme Mcdowell      125/1
Greg Norman      200/1
Henrik Stenson      35/1
Hunter Mahan      75/1
Ian Poulter      90/1
Ian Woosnam      1000/1
Jack Newman      750/1
Jeev Milkha Singh      125/1
Jim Furyk      60/1
John Merrick      250/1
Jose Maria Olazabal      250/1
Justin Leonard      80/1
Justin Rose      60/1
K J Choi      80/1
Ken Duke      400/1
Kenny Perry      70/1
Kevin Sutherland      200/1
Larry Mize      1500/1
Lee Westwood      50/1
Lin-Weng Tang      750/1
Louis Oosthuizen      175/1
Luke Donald      65/1
Mark O’Meara      500/1
Martin Kaymer      125/1
Matthew Goggin      150/1
Michael Campbell      400/1
Miguel Angel Jimenez      125/1
Mike Weir      45/1
Nick Watney      35/1
Oliver Wilson      125/1
Padraig Harrington      16/1
Pat Perez      125/1
Paul Casey      25/1
Phil Mickelson      13/2
Prayad Marksaeng      400/1
Raymond Floyd      5000/1
Reinier Saxton      1000/1
Retief Goosen      20/1
Richard Sterne      200/1
Robert Allenby      100/1
Robert Karlsson      45/1
Rocco Mediate      200/1
Rory McIlroy      25/1
Rory Sabbatini      100/1
Ross Fisher      125/1
Ryo Ishikawa      400/1
Ryuji Imada      125/1
Sandy Lyle      2500/1
Sean O’Hair      50/1
Sergio Garcia      30/1
Shingo Katayama      500/1
Soren Hansen      200/1
Soren Kjeldsen      200/1
Stephen Ames      150/1
Steve Flesch      200/1
Steve Stricker      75/1
Steve Wilson      1000/1
Stewart Cink      65/1
Stuart Appleby      80/1
Tiger Woods      19/10
Tim Clark      90/1
Todd Hamilton      500/1
Tom Watson      800/1
Trevor Immelman      65/1
Vijay Singh      55/1
Yong Eun Yang      250/1
Zach Johnson      30/1

Sweet Sixteen Betting Odds; Elite 8 Odds

March 26th, 2009 by Travis Edwards (Bankroll Sports Contributor) | Posted in NCAA Basketball   Comments Off on Sweet Sixteen Betting Odds; Elite 8 Odds

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The first two rounds of the NCAA Tournament flashed by so quick it was hard to evaluate how all the teams looked in their games. One of the most interesting aspects of the 2009 NCAA Tournament perhaps could be the lack of upsets compared to recent years. Outside of 12th seeded Arizona and 5th seeded Purdue, all of the remaining teams left in the March Madness venue have at least a 4th seeded ranking or higher. However, this means that all of these heavily favored teams will be squaring off in the next round meaning anything can happen. We take a look at the updated odds to win the 2009 NCAA Basketball Championship with our remaining sixteen teams and who you may what to consider placing a wager on to win it all.

The leading favorites to win the NCAA Tournament are the North Carolina Tarheels. The Tarheels are 3/1 favorites to win it all coming out of the South bracket. North Carolina was predicted by our initial NCAA Tournament predictions to at least make it to the Final Four. The reason is fairly simple and it is the South bracket is perhaps the weakest bracket in the Tournament if there ever were a weak bracket. The Tarheels get Gonzaga in the Sweet Sixteen and they should be able to take care of business. North Carolina’s lineup is so deep which makes them a favorable team to place a bet on. Ty Lawson is playing extremely well back from his injury and so is the rest of the star studded roster. All year people have regarded North Carolina as being the most talented team in the country and now they only have a few games left to back that claim.

One team receiving the least favorable odds to win the Championship is a team that many thought did not even deserve to be in the big dance. The Arizona Wildcats received severe criticism for being selected into the NCAA Tournament after losing 5 of their last 6 games this season with a mediocre at best record of 19-13. However, Arizona has silenced the critics early on in March Madness upsetting 5th seeded Utah and then beating no. 13 Cleveland State to earn their trip to the sweet sixteen. The Wildcats are receiving 50/1 odds to win the Championship meaning they would be a long shot, but jackpot style winning pick if they could pull of the Title run as heavy underdogs. Arizona may be worth just the slightest interest considering these guys still have a lot to prove. Possibly just placing like the smallest of bets in hopes of the big payoff. On the other hand, history tells us that the big underdogs are not ones to consider for a wager. There has only been one number 12 seed to ever make it to the Elite Eight and never has a number one seed won the National Championship. Then again college basketball seems to always re-write history in the NCAA Tournament.

One of our upset prediction teams to really make some noise in the NCAA Tournament is receiving very good odds to win it all. The Villanova Wildcats looked very solid blowing out UCLA by 20 points to earn a sweet sixteen bid. Villanova seems to be a big underdog to come out of the East bracket, but they just may be the team to pull of the feat. Villanova is receiving 22/1 odds to win the National Championship while also receiving 2.5/1 odds to win the East. Villanova as mentioned before could present a lot of problems for the Duke Blue Devils in their sweet sixteen battle set for this Thursday. If the Wildcats could pull of the victory, they could get a mid-season re-match with Pittsburgh. Villanova looked strong over the Panthers in that victory 67-57 and would be one of the only teams Pittsburgh may really hope they do not face. Anything is possible if Villanova can get the next two big wins considering they would be riding a huge wave of momentum entering the final four which makes 22/1 odds look profitable if everything was to play out.

One final aspect left to consider when determining who to place some money on to win the National Championship is the number 1 seeds and how they will play out. Number 1 seeded teams have backed up their pre-tournament rankings when looking at the history of the NCAA Tournament. 14 times in the last 30 years which is nearly 50% of the team does a number one seed win the National Championship. Last season for the first time ever the Final Four was composed of all number one seeds and that could happen again this year if everything were to play out. Taking a look at the number one seeds you have Pittsburgh at 6/1, Louisville Cardinals at 4/1, Connecticut Huskies at 6/1, and North Carolina Tar Heels at 3/1 odds to win it all. Basically giving fairly descent odds to any of the number 1 seeds you have a feeling will be able to win it all. Legitimate arguments can be made for all of these teams to have good chances to be crowned Champions of College Basketball. The hard thing to do is figuring out which team it will be now and making the most profit off your bet.

Here are the current odds to win the 2009 NCAA baskeball Championship for all the elite 8 teams from BetUS Sportsbook:

  • Connecticut      +450
  • Louisville      +300  
  • Michigan State      +1500  
  • Missouri      +1400  
  • North Carolina      +250  
  • Oklahoma      +1200  
  • Pittsburgh      +550  
  • Villanova      +900

2009 World Series Odds (& Picks)

March 21st, 2009 by Travis Edwards (Bankroll Sports Contributor) | Posted in MLB Baseball   8 Comments »

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Current Odds To Win The World Series From Sportsbook.com (as of 10/27/09):
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  • Philadelphia Phillies: (
  • New York Yankees:   (

The Major League Baseball season is vastly approaching and some of the major sports books have already released betting odds for winning the 2009 World Series. Bodog Sportsbook (10% Signup Bonus) released all of the odds that you will see throughout this article as we break down some of the team’s chances to win the 2009 World Series and who is worth the chance to take a gamble on. Do not wait until the end of the year when the odds are much lower to bet, if you got some extra cash lying around place a wager on a team that you believe has the best shot because you will get the best odds before the season starts. If you are having trouble narrowing your choices down, hopefully we will give you some useful advice.

Predictions and World Series Futures (as of 2/24/09):

Leading the odds to win the 2009 World Series is no surprise to be the New York Yankees. The Yankees made some big moves in the off season to add to their all-star lineup. The biggest deal was signing superstar C.C Sabathia to a 7 year 160 plus million dollar contract. The wealthiest team in baseball also went out acquired A.J Burnett and Mark Teixeira. Teixeira has the ability to be an even better addition than Sabathia in the long run as the 29 year old is reaching his prime with the bat in hand fresh off 33 HR, 121 RBI, and .308avg in the 2008 season. However, Sabathia will likely make an immediate impact and could be seen on the mound as early as opening day against Baltimore. The Yankees will be a tough team to defeat in 2009 as they have filled some of their only weaknesses and should be primed for a big year if they can get past all the off the field issues mainly concerning Alex Rodriguez.

The Boston Red Sox were a mere game away from the World Series last season losing to the Devil Rays in Game 7 of the ALCS. The Red Sox made a lot of moves in the off-season with their biggest acquire coming by the name of Kevin Youkilis. The Red Sox also signed Brad Wilkerson who I believe has more potential than many believe. Other names that were also added to the Red Sox dynamic roster include veteran John Smoltz, Brad Penny, and Takashi Saito. The Red Sox will be a great team to place a bet with for an AL Championship and World Series title with their biggest competition coming by the way of arch-rival the New York Yankees.

The Philadelphia Phillies will try to defend their 2008 World Series Championship by repeating. The Phillies are 10/1 favorites to make the accomplishment and will by led by a solid bullpen that could be among the best in the National League in 2009. Philadelphia signed Raul Ilbanez back in December to a 3 year deal. Ilbanez is a solid left handed hitter who will likely fall behind superstar Ryan Howard in the number 5 spot in the batting order. Philadelphia will likely battle the New York Mets for the top spot in the National League East Division in their attempt to repeat. However, outside of the New York Yankees only one team (Toronto) has repeated World Series Championships in the last 30 years.

New York Mets 2008 season ended in a disappointing way missing the playoffs by a single game to the Milwaukee Brewers. The Mets will return many of the same starters in the field this season. While many experts believe the Mets will make at run at an NLCS Title this season, they must shake off the lackluster finishes of the past few seasons. Francisco Rodriguez was brought in to add some fire as a closer and he will be a valuable asset especially later in the season. However, there are still some questions revolving around the starting rotation and especially the rather weak outfield. Despite having the best odds out of any NL team at 7/1, they will still need to worry about winning their own division first.

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Team to watch out for…

The Atlanta Braves are the best team to place a gamble on if you are trying to take a chance to really bring in some money. The Braves slacked off over the last few seasons compared to their 14 straight NL East titles a few years back. Atlanta added two solid pitchers to the rotation in Derrick Lowe and Javy Vazquez. Atlanta ranked 3rd in the NL last season in batting average and their success with the stick will be a big component to their outcome this season. Young players Kelly Johnson and Yunel Escobar make up a strong middle infield on the defensive front that could be a force for years to come. If the youth has a breakout year, Atlanta could be a hot pick in 2009.

NCAA Tournament: 2nd Round Preview & 1st Round Recap

March 20th, 2009 by Travis Edwards (Bankroll Sports Contributor) | Posted in NBA Basketball, NCAA Basketball   Comments Off on NCAA Tournament: 2nd Round Preview & 1st Round Recap

March Madness has struck hard in the first round of the NCAA Tournament. There were plenty of exciting games and a few big upsets that surely have busted many people’s brackets. The unexpected is inescapable as we head into the second round of the tournament. Taking a look at how some of the team’s have played there are many things to evaluate after round one to give everyone an idea of what to expect in the days to come. We will take a look at the teams that looked good and those that really struggled in their opening performances. The biggest shocker of the opening round came from last nights upset where 13 seed Cleveland State took down a former number 1 from earlier this season no. 4 seed Wake Forest in a big win 84-69. Cleveland State dominated the game becoming the lowest seed to win in the first round.

One of the most interesting aspects of the opening round was how the Big East teams that really disappointed. The heralded conference put 9 teams in the top 25 at once this season and many thought they would really shine in the NCAA Tournament including some of our predictions. However, the majority of these schools underperformed to say the least. No. 6 seed West Virginia lost to the Dayton Flyers in a shocking defeat. Dayton controlled the entire part of the game and West Virginia never really got any type of rhythm knocking off one of the teams from the Big East that many figured would make a solid run in the tournament.

While the Mountaineers were the only Big East School to actually get beat, there were a few others that barely escaped upsets. One of our teams to watch for the NCAA Tournament which is the Marquette Golden Eagles held on in an exciting clutch win over 11 seed Utah State 58-57. Utah State held the Golden Eagles to their second lowest scoring total of the season narrowly missing what would have been a huge upset for the Aggies. Another Big East school that did not overly impress was the Villanova Wildcats at least for one half of play. Villanova trailed 14 seed American by 10 points at the half. However the Wildcats did come out and play well in the 2nd half coming back to win by 13 points. Still the performance was anything but convincing. These two schools were really expected to shine well in the Tournament, but have left many wondering if they will be able to make it past the next round.

The no. 6 seed UCLA Bruins barely escaped an embarrassing upset from Virginia Commonwealth. The Bruins only got 5 points from their entire bench in the disappointing performance and they will take on Villanova in round 2. After two disappointing performances from both teams, it will be interesting to see who steps up and plays like they were expected entering the tournament.

Nearly all the number 1 and 2 seeds took care of business like expected in the opening rounds. Pittsburgh beat East Tennessee State by only 10 points which was the closest margin of victory for any top seeded team. Number 2 rated teams Duke, Memphis, Oklahoma, and Michigan State all won without many problems. There was also not a single loss from the number 3 and 4 seeded teams outside of Wake Forest in the opening round.

Breaking down some of the most impressive teams in the first round were mainly some of the teams from out west residing in the Pac-10. No. 12 seed Arizona was one of the lowest rated seeds to pull off a first round upset over no. 5 seed Utah. The Wildcats strong showings from Nic Wise and Chase Budinger as they controlled the game from start to finish. There were many people who felt like Arizona was one of the least deserving teams to make the Tournament after losing 5 of their last 6 games of the season. However, the Wildcats silenced those critics from selection Sunday with a very impressive 84-71 victory as they move on to play Cleveland State.

The USC Trojans were another member from the Pac-10 that really looked good on Friday. USC hammered Boston College on Friday by a score of 72-55. Taj Gibson, DeMar DeRozan, and Dwight Lewis combined for more points than the entire Boston College team with 62 points. The Trojans momentum from the Pac-10 Tournament has definitely carried over into the NCAA Tournament and they could give Michigan State all they can handle in round 2. Do not be surprise if the momentum continues and they pull off another big win.

Another team to keep on the radar this week is Texas A&M. The Aggies looked strong in their 79-66 win over BYU on Thursday. Junior forward Bryan Davis led the scoring effort knocking down 21 points in the win over BYU. Unfortunately, Texas A&M gets no. 1 seed Connecticut next diminishing any big hopes for the run to continue. However, if Texas A&M can come out playing well they are the type team that could present problems for Connecticut. While an upset over top rated Connecticut seems near impossible, don’t be surprised if the Aggies hang around for a while. The question is how long will they be able to hang with the Huskies?

In final notes there were few more teams that came away from the opening two days on high praises. Late last night Wisconsin pulled off an overtime thriller against a solid Florida State team 61-59. Western Kentucky pulled off an upset of their own 76-72 over the Fighting Illini of Illinois These two teams were part of another group that many expected to a one and out, but will never have chances to continue their season. Be sure to check back in after the round two games as we will have a full break down of the sweet sixteen with a more in depth preview of what to expect as the tournament progresses.

2009 NCAA Tournament Teams to Watch

March 17th, 2009 by Travis Edwards (Bankroll Sports Contributor) | Posted in NCAA Basketball   Comments Off on 2009 NCAA Tournament Teams to Watch

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One of the most interesting aspects of the NCAA Tournament is the upsets. Every year there are plenty of heart breaking losses and exciting underdog stories that highlight the March Madness venue. The unexpected is always certain in March and that is what makes the NCAA Tournament so intriguing. Every year fans embrace a breakout underdog that will steal the spotlight from the top names in the country. In the basketball world, we call that the Cinderella team. One of the toughest things to do when filling out your bracket can be predicting some of these unexpected upsets and teams that will emerge from the darkness to shine in the spotlight. Last year Davidson was the Cinderella story. Stephen Curry and the Davidson Wildcats surged from their 10th seeded position into the elite eight barely losing to the Kansas Jayhawks who later went on to win the National Championship. Before you complete your brackets this year, we will try to break down the best suited teams that could be the breakout story and wear the Cinderella slipper in 2009.

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Usually by the NCAA Tournament, there are clear favorites on the teams that will be expected to win it all. While of course many people will expect the Connecticut, Pittsburgh, and North Carolina teams to do well there are plenty of less popular names to consider. Perhaps this year more than any, there are many teams who definitely have the capability of knocking off the top seeds. For example, the Wake Forest Demon Deacons appeared unbeatable earlier this season. The Demon Deacons started a perfect 16-0 and were the number 1 team in America for many weeks. However, after a sluggish second half of the season the Demon Deacons are only a 4 seed in the tournament. While a number 4 seed is not considerably a low seed, there are still plenty of lower seeds that could surge in their brackets and there is not a team in America that looks forward to playing a team like Wake Forest.

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One of the first teams on the radar to break out in the NCAA Tournament is the Marquette Golden Eagles. Marquette got off to a brilliant start in the brutal schedule that is the Big East. The Golden Eagles come in the Tournament as a number 6 seed slated to take on Utah State in the opening round. Marquette will be favored to win the first round, but may be an underdog in round 2 where they will likely meet No. 3 seeded Missouri. Missouri was the surprise team of the Big 12 this season and their match-up with Marquette would be very compelling. We got the winner of this game coming out of the bottom part of the bracket meaning they take down Memphis and challenge Connecticut for a spot in the final four. Missouri is a very solid team that won the Big 12 Tournament Championship during conference week leading up to the big dance. However, last time the Tigers were matched up with a smaller type team like Marquette they were blown out by Kansas 90-65. The Golden Eagles smaller lineup and tremendous backcourt make them extremely tough for Missouri to beat. We take a gamble on the Golden Eagles soaring into the elite eight in exciting fashion.

Another team to keep an eye on is the Clemson Tigers. Clemson was another ACC team that got off to a perfect 16-0 start before hitting the blunt of conference play. However, the Tigers blasted Duke midway through the season handing Coach K one of the biggest losses of his career 74-47. Clemson struggled down the stretch in the ACC losing 4 of their first 5 games. One might think the Tigers have lost their way in the 2nd half of the season. On the other hand Clemson will come out of the gates taking on Big 10 opponent Michigan. While the game is expected to be close, if the Tigers come out knocking down outside shots like they tend to do it should be enough to handle the Wolverines. The Tigers will get Oklahoma most likely in the second round and this could be the first really big upset of the entire tournament. Oklahoma would have an extremely difficult time defending the outside shooting that makes Clemson so dangerous. If the two Tigers’ guards K.C Rivers and Terrence Oglesby get hot, you can say goodnight. While these two games may be a long shot for Clemson to overcome, their style of play could present problems for their early round opponents that could work to their advantage.

Even though we mentioned the Clemson Tigers being a surprise team in the South bracket, the Syracuse Orange could also be a surprise team from the lower half of the bracket. Syracuse has the most manageable path of any 3 seed in the tournament. Syracuse gets South Florida in round 1 and the winner of the Arizona State vs. Temple match-up for round 2. The Orange men could easily find their selves in the sweet sixteen taking on anyone from Oklahoma, Michigan, or our surprise pick Clemson in that game. Syracuse could manage a victory against any of these opponents on any given night. Syracuse made a strong run in the Big East Tournament beating Connecticut in the 6 overtime thriller before losing in the Championship game to Louisville. Considering that lone loss was the Orange only defeat in the last 3 weeks of basketball they appear to be peaking at the right time. Would it be crazy to predict Clemson to beat Oklahoma, and then Syracuse beat Clemson? Maybe, but whoever they do play we will take Syracuse to be the biggest surprise threat in the South.

In our final area to keep your eye we turn our focus to the East bracket. There are a number of possible scenarios if you are looking for an underdog in this bracket. The Villanova Wildcats would be a good candidate to take coming of the bottom half of the bracket. Villanova will most likely be favored to win their opening two games and could meet up with No. 2 seed Duke in the sweet sixteen. The Wildcats sets screens, and roll off the ball very well scoring points on cuts to the paint. That is the very type of team Duke has struggled with this year. Not to mention this seems to be the area in the tournament the Blue Devils have failed to get past over the last few seasons. On the upper side of the bracket if there is any team that could knock off Pittsburgh it would be Florida State. The Seminoles knocked off North Carolina in the ACC Tournament and they have played very well at times this season. Standout guard Toney Douglas gives the Seminoles a chance in any close game considering he is one of the best guards in the country. If any team was to pull off an early upset over Pittsburgh, it could be the Seminoles chance to shine.

In attempt to cover every bracket, we finally move a little focus to the Midwest. The Midwest could possibly be the toughest bracket top to bottom in the tournament. The USC Trojans could come out to surprise people if they keep up their momentum that propelled them to their first Pac-10 Tournament Title in history. However, in the end we will expect some familiar faces to square off to represent the Midwest. Louisville defense should carry them solidly through the first two rounds and possibly throughout the tournament. On the lower side of the bracket we may expect a very familiar name to emerge. No. 3 seeded Kansas is different and young team compared to the 2008 National Championship team. However, they captured the Big 12 regular season crown and played extremely well as the year progressed. We will expect the higher seeds to prevail in this bracket avoiding any big upsets. While the upsets may happen in the Midwest, we will just say we predict that Cinderella will come from one of the other brackets in the tournament.

Sunday, 3/8/09: Recommended Readings

March 8th, 2009 by Travis Edwards (Bankroll Sports Contributor) | Posted in General Handicapping   Comments Off on Sunday, 3/8/09: Recommended Readings

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March Madness Impact Players to Watch

March 3rd, 2009 by Travis Edwards (Bankroll Sports Contributor) | Posted in NCAA Basketball   Comments Off on March Madness Impact Players to Watch

The regular season has almost concluded on this exciting year of college hoops and the attention will quickly turn to the conference tournaments games leading into selection Sunday. After selection Sunday, the brackets will be locked in place for the NCAA Tournament and you can already get some of the earliest betting odds for this year’s National Champion at betus.com and bodog sportsbooks. The previous wins and losses mean nothing when the playoff style NCAA Tournament begins and it will come down to who can step up on the biggest stage. We take a look at the players that could affect the NCAA Tournament in 2009 the most and if they will have what it takes to have their team compete for a Championship.

Blake Griffin (Oklahoma Sooners)

I believe the entire nation is aware how important Blake Griffin is to the Oklahoma Sooners after the events over the past few weeks. Griffin suffered a concussion and missed most of the game in the Sooners lost to Texas. Griffin would also miss the next game that also resulted into a losing effort to Kansas. However once Griffin returned to the lineup, Oklahoma returned to their regular dominant stature. The talented sophomore could be a lock to win National Player of the Year with 22 points and a 14 rebound average on the season. Not only could he win National Player of the Year, but would likely be a lottery pick if he chooses to leave for the NBA following this season. Griffin will try and lead the Sooners in a big way in March and he can single handedly take control of games. However, Oklahoma as a team I believe does not have what it takes to keep up with the top schools from the Big East and the ACC in March. However, if Griffin could lead Oklahoma to a Championship it would add that much more to his growing resume.

Tyler Hansbrough (North Carolina Tar Heels)

Tyler Hansbrough won the 2008 Player of the Year last season and now is the all-time leading scorer in North Carolina history. That accomplishment alone speaks volumes considering the legendary names that North Carolina has produced through their legendary history. Hansbrough got off to a semi slow start to the season, but has been nothing short of outstanding through the tough conference play this season. Hansbrough has posted 21 points and 8 rebounds on average this season. One thing that is great for Hansbrough is he does not have to be great. North Carolina owns probably the most talented lineup in America. Even if Hansbrough was to have an off night which happens as bout as much as a lunar eclipse, North Carolina still has plenty of talent to pick up the slack. The Tarheels are 5/2 favorites to win it all through the NCAA Tournament this season. Hansbrough will just be a big factor in leading the Tarheels towards a Championship run.

DeJuan Blair (Pittsburgh Panthers)

DeJuan Blair is likely the 2nd most impressive sophomore in the nation behind Blake Griffin. Pittsburgh has been stellar all season and they racked up a big win over top ranked Connecticut just two weeks ago. Blair had a solid freshman campaign and has improved in all aspects of his game. Not only has Blair become a very dangerous scoring threat, but he has become a monster on the boards pulling down an NCAA 3rd best 12.7 rebounds per game. In the Panthers big win over Connecticut, Blair had one of the biggest nights of his season with 22 points and 23 rebounds. Pittsburgh will need Blair to have those types of performances in their big games during the Tournament. If that happen, the Panthers will be very tough to beat.

Jeff Teague (Wake Forest Demon Decons)

Jeff Teague is possibly the best young guard in the country. Teague scoring threat was a big contributing factor to Wake Forest’s 16-0 start that put them on top of the polls. Even thought Wake Forest has struggled a big during ACC play, Teague has remained strong averaging 20 points on the season. The sophomore put together his biggest night of the season in one of the Demon Deacons biggest games when he posted 34 points to lift Wake Forest over North Carolina earlier this season. Unfortunately, Teague can only carry the Demon Deacons so far. Wake Forest has really been on thin ice during the latter part of the season and the inconsistent play has left a lot of question marks looming. Wake Forest is receiving 17/1 odds this season making them a team to consider making a gamble on. Teague performance in the NCAA Tournament will go along way in attempting to get Wake Forest back towards top notch play.

Stephen Curry (Davidson Wildcats)

Davidson was the Cinderella story of the 2008 NCAA Tournament. The Wildcats came out of nowhere to earn an Elite 8 appearance. Stephen Curry was a big cause to their late season run. Curry has led the nation nearly all season on top of the scoring charts. The junior guard has posted a ridiculous 28 point average this season that included two 44 point performances. The 44 point nights were not against weak opposition either as Curry put together those performances against Oklahoma and NC State. Davidson has fell victim to some unexpected losses this season and many doubt any big runs this year in March. However, Curry can keep the Wildcats in any game on any given night. Still Curry needs a bit more help from his teammates to really contend with the top teams in the country.

Which of these players would you most want on your team for this year's NCAA tournament?
(You can tell us who you chose and why in the comments section below)

  • Blake Griffin (40%, 8 Votes)
  • Stephen Curry (30%, 6 Votes)
  • Tyler Hansbrough (20%, 4 Votes)
  • DeJuan Blair (10%, 2 Votes)
  • Jeff Teague (0%, 0 Votes)

Total Voters: 20