Braham set to call it quits

Football Betting Lines

12/27/2006 - Cincinnati, OH (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Cincinnati Bengals center Rich Braham is apparently ready to call it a career.

Bengals head coach Marvin Lewis made the announcement at his Wednesday news conference.

Braham suffered a knee injury in the second game of the season and has not played since. The Bengals will hold a pregame ceremony for the 13-year veteran before Sunday's season-finale against Pittsburgh.

The 36-year-old West Virginia product was a third-round pick by Arizona in the 1994 draft, but he never played for the Cardinals and appeared in three games for the Bengals late in the '94 season.

After an ankle injury in the preseason cut short his 1995 campaign, Braham became a mainstay in the lineup at the start of the '96 season. He has started 142 of the 146 games he has played for the Bengals.

Braham, this year, became the seventh Bengal to play at least 13 years with the franchise, joining quarterback Ken Anderson (1971-86), cornerback Ken Riley (1969-83), linebacker Reggie Williams (1976-89), kicker Jim Breech (1980-92), and offensive linemen Joe Walter (1985-97) and Anthony Munoz (1980-92).

Sporthorsebetting Football Betting News

<< Angels' Rivera has surgery for broken leg
Anaheim, CA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim outfielder Juan Rivera underwent surgery Wednesday to repair a broken left leg. Orthopaedic surgeon Dr. Michael Abrahams inserted a rod into Rivera's left tibia and screws

<< Jackson, Kampman and Gould earn NFC's weekly awards
New York, NY (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - St. Louis Rams running back Steven Jackson, Green Bay Packers defensive end Aaron Kampman and Chicago kicker Robbie Gould have been selected as the NFC's top players for Week 16 of the season. Jackson ear

<< Stars' Morrow out indefinitely
Frisco, TX (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Dallas Stars captain Brenden Morrow will be out of action indefinitely following successful surgery Tuesday night to repair severed tendons in his right wrist, general manager Doug Armstrong said on Wednesd

<< Thornton leads West All-Star balloting
New York, NY (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - San Jose Sharks forward Joe Thornton leads all Western Conference players in fan balloting for the NHL All-Star Game. Thornton has received 614,753 votes and has a lead of more than 70,000 votes on Anaheim d

<< Grizzlies are locked in the cellar
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Memphis Grizzlies three-year playoff run is in serious jeopardy. They are a league-worst 6-23 and are six games behind the fourth place New Orleans/Oklahoma City Hornets in the Northwest Division. The Griz

Buffalo extends Lindell >>
Orchard Park, NY (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Buffalo placekicker Rian Lindell signed a contract extension that will keep him with the Bills though the 2011 season. Since joining the Bills before the 2003 campaign, Lindell has connected on 83 percen

Vikings place Smoot on IR following car accident >>
Minneapolis, MN (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Minnesota Vikings cornerback Fred Smoot was placed on injured reserve Wednesday, five days after being involved in a single-car accident in his home state of Mississippi. Vikings head coach Brad Chi

Eagles' Sheppard and Lewis questionable for Falcons game >>
Philadelphia, PA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Pro Bowl cornerback Lito Sheppard and strong safety Michael Lewis are both listed as questionable for Philadelphia's game against Atlanta this Sunday. Sheppard, who recorded three tackles and a ke

Colts' Freeney listed as questionable >>
Indianapolis, IN (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Indianapolis Colts defensive end Dwight Freeney is listed as questionable for Sunday's regular season finale against the Miami Dolphins with a shoulder injury. Freeney, the Colts' career sack leade

Giants' Seubert doubtful; Shockey questionable for Saturday >>
East Rutherford, NJ (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Guard Rich Seubert is doubtful and tight end Jeremy Shockey questionable for the Giants' Week 17 game at division-rival Washington on Saturday night. Seubert is nursing a shin problem,

El Duque expected to throw Tuesday

PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. -- New York Mets pitcher Orlando Hernandez, sidelined at spring training because of arthritis in his neck, is expected to resume throwing on Tuesday.

Hernandez received a cortisone shot Thursday after leaving camp and returning to New York to have his neck examined. The 41-year-old right-hander is penciled in as the team's No. 2 starter behind Tom Glavine.

El Duque's health is a major issue for the Mets, who won the NL East in 2007 and came within one victory of the World Series. Their aging and unsettled rotation is a big question mark this year.

MySportsbook.com has the Mets as -110 favorites to repeat as NL East champions odds. 

Hernandez went 11-11 with a 4.66 ERA last season, including 9-7 with a 4.09 ERA in 20 starts after the Mets acquired him from Arizona in late May. But he missed the playoffs because of a torn calf muscle.

New York already is without Pedro Martinez, out until at least midseason following rotator cuff surgery. Among those competing for starting jobs are prospects Mike Pelfrey, Philip Humber and Jason Vargas, plus veterans Chan Ho Park, Jorge Sosa and Aaron Sele.

Notes: Mets manager Willie Randolph is excited about two new utility players he could have on his bench: Damion Easley and David Newhan. ''Their value is really all over the place,'' Randolph said. Easley can play anywhere in the infield and could be used as an emergency outfielder, though Randolph said he would prefer to keep the veteran in the infield. Newhan, meanwhile, can play second base, third or any outfield position for the Mets. ''I love versatility,'' Randolph said. ''I love guys that can give me options when I need them to step in.''

Additional baseball lines and World Series odds can be found at: www.MySportsbook.com

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

MySportsbook.com: New College Football Clock Rules Examined

Coaches and bettors alike are desperate to make sense of the new time-keeping rules on the NCAA gridiron. One of the big stories to come out of the Ohio State-Texas clash last weekend was Texas coach Mack Brown's criticism of the NCAA's new clock rules that are intended to shorten the duration of college football games, therefore affecting college football betting.

"They scored with six minutes left and the game was over before we had a chance to do anything," Brown told ESPN.com. "I really hope whoever made these changes will go back and look them over."

Sure, it might be sour grapes; the Buckeyes thoroughly trounced the defending national champion Longhorns 24-7. However, Brown isn't alone in giving the changes their due thought. Bettors are also wondering about them, albeit for a completely different reason. Most experts agree that the changes will result in games being shortened by anywhere from 10 to 20 plays. The obvious consequence is lower scores, with more time rolling off the clock during changes of possession. (The Ohio State-Texas game flew well under the total of 52.)

According to research at the online sportsbook MySportsbook.com, more than 18 plays a game disappeared last weekend into thin air. That's a 10-percent reduction. In 2005, a typical game had 168.58 plays. For 2007 already, it's down to 150.26.

As a result, teams combined to gain an average of about 100 fewer yards a game last weekend versus the 2005 openers. Scoring was also down by about 4.5 points (attention Las Vegas sports lines).

Of course, oddsmakers were able to adjust to the changes before the season started. Proof of that came as the over went a balanced 8-9 at My Sportsbook on Saturday.

Other angles to consider:A shorter game should theoretically result in shorter lines. Whereas Team A might have been a 14-point favorite in a 168-play game (last year), if there are 10 percent less snaps in 2007, the line should also be reduced by 10 percent (to 13 or 12.5). Of course, this is an over-simplification of the matter, but something to keep in mind.
Less possessions means a better chance the game will be decided by three or seven points. For example, what might have been a 20-10 final score in 2005 may end at

17-10 in 2007. Granted, a 24-17 game last year might end at 21-17 these days, but the former - a three- or seven-point advantage being preserved as opposed to created - is the most likely scenario.

*UPDATE* - Sept. 25, 2007

New Clock Rules Boon for online bookmakers

By adjusting the time-keeping rules to shorten the duration of college football games, the NCAA hoped to make its product more enjoyable for the fans. While the NCAA's success in this regard is still up for debate, bookmakers couldn't be happier with the results.

"We are seeing a massive jump in college football betting," noted the MySportsbook.com management team. "With all the early Saturday games (12 a.m. ET) ending before the second wave begins (3:30 p.m. ET) - something that didn't always happen before the changes - bettors are now able to re-invest their winnings from the morning session in the afternoon games."

While not all bettors will choose to roll over their winnings, it doesn't take much for an impact to be seen on the bottom line. "Not all of the millions of dollars in morning payouts get re-bet. In fact, it's probably only 10 to 20 percent," noted the sportsbook management team. "Still, the increased football betting lines window will create a ton of growth for us over the course of the season."

About MySportsbook.com Sports Casino Poker
Since opening in 1997, MySportsbook.com Sports Casino Poker has been a leader in Internet wagering, providing single account access for sports and casino play. This sportsbook has a revolutionary payment method, Direct Bank Transfer, gives players a faster and more secure transaction option for both deposits and withdrawals. This Internet Sportsbook takes pride in offering an aggressive VIP rewards program, along with seasonal reduced juice specials and high parlay payout odds. MySportsbook.com has set new standards in the sports betting industry, from their fantastic customer service, industry leading bonuses, extensive selection of wager types and props, to the fastest payouts anywhere... MySportsbook.com is America's Sportsbook! Open an account today at MySportsbook.com Sports Casino Poker, or call toll-free 1-866-238-6648

To visit this online sportsbook got to MySportsbook.com for all your Sportsbook accepts Master Card needs.