2009 CFL Western Preview - Saskatchewan Roughriders

Football Betting Lines

06/23/2009 - Regina, SK (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - FACTS & FIGURES: Division - West. 2008 Record - 12-6. Playoff Result: Lost, 33-12, to British Columbia in the West Division semifinals. Stadium - Mosaic Stadium at Taylor Field. Capacity - 30,945. Colors - Green, white, black and silver

The Roughriders captured the 2007 Grey Cup, but following that accomplishment head coach Kent Austin departed for a position at Ole Miss and offensive coordinator Ken Miller became the man in charge. Despite countless injuries, Miller's squad jumped out to a 6-0 start in 2008 and looked the part of defending champions. The Roughriders, though, went just 6-6 the rest of the way and had to settle for a second-place finish in the CFL's Western Division. Although they boasted the second-best record during the regular season, the Roughriders were quickly ousted by British Columbia in the playoffs.

If Saskatchewan hopes to compete for another championship, it will need to find stability at quarterback. Darian Durant is expected to be the go-to guy this season after being part of last year's quarterback carousel. The ultra- athletic Durant can be electric, but he has been prone to mistakes and that is the biggest fear with letting him loose. Last season, Durant threw for 1,122 yards and seven touchdowns prior to suffering broken ribs. He should only improve on those numbers as the starter and he shouldn't be looking over his shoulder as backups Steven Jyles, Juan Joseph and Dalton Bell are all relatively inexperienced.

The return of Wes Cates will surely help ease Durant's transition into a full- time starter, as the 6-0, 215-pound tailback is one of the elite players in the CFL. Cates ranked second in the league in rushing yards (1,229) and first in rushing touchdowns (12) last year, and he is the type of player that can do it all. He carried the ball a whopping 216 times last season, so finding a serviceable backup will be important in order to keep Cates fresh.

Along the offensive line, Gene Makowsky and Jeremy O'Day return to form a solid nucleus and they should receive help from 2008 draft choice Jonathan St. Pierre. The Roughriders were one of the top rushing teams in '08 and they figure to be strong again thanks to this solid group of linemen.

At wideout, the Riders have several intriguing options and none more exciting than Weston Dressler. The 5-9, 164-pound import burst on to the scene last season, catching 56 balls for 1,123 yards and six touchdowns, earning CFL Rookie of the Year honors. Mix in slot back Andy Fantuz (36 catches, 488 yards) and prized free agent signee Jason Clermont (a three-time 1,000- yard receiver) and Saskatchewan has group it can certainly count on from week to week.

Saskatchewan relied on its stout defense to win games last season, but the departure of defensive coordinator Richie Hall and several key contributors will make things more difficult this time around. New coordinator Gary Etcheverry, however, has plenty of experience in the CFL and enough pieces in place to make this a solid group once again. Scott Shultz anchors the defensive line and the veteran tackle will be counted on to stop the run as well as provide valuable leadership.

The Riders lost two of three linebackers from a year ago, but the return of Sean Lucas gives the team some stability in the middle. Lucas really came into his own in 2008 and led the team in tackles with 95. He, however, will be accompanied by a relatively inexperienced group, putting more pressure on the rising star.

In the secondary, Saskatchewan will again be guided by Lance Frazier, who paced the team with five interceptions last season. Frazier, along with Eddie Davis (66 tackles) and a few new acquisitions, will help fill out a secondary that may need some time to gel before becoming effective.

As for the special teams, Jamie Boreham will once again handle the punting chores, while Luca Congi will continue with the kicking duties after making 38-of-44 field goals last season.

The Riders have some talent on the offensive side of the ball, but they will need Durant to play like a veteran if that unit is to be successful. Defensively, there is a lot of uncertainty considering the change of coach and several new faces, so this unit can not be counted on like last season. Overall, this year's club has a lot of question marks surrounding it and that could lead to a bit of a decline.

Sportsbook Betting Lines Predicted Finish: Third

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MySportsbook.com and Kentucky Derby Offer Bonuses
The 2008 Kentucky Derby has announced a $1-million bonus for this weekend’s 134th ‘Run for the Roses’ and MySportsbook.com is doing the same.

Well, not quite $1 million, but MySportsbook.com is offering a 75% rebate for Kentucky Derby lines. Check out the exclusive horse racing bonus for all the details.

According to MySportsbook.com, the favorites for Saturday’s Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky are: Curlin (+250); Street Sense (+500); Scat Daddy (+700); Circular Quay (+750); and Nobiz Like Shobiz (+800).

Derby organizers announced this week that there will be a $1-million bonus at the 2007 Kentucky Derby odds if the first-place horse wins by more than 6 1/2 lengths – the margin of Barbaro's victory last year. The bonus would be divided Saturday among the winning trainer, jockey, owner and a charity, with each receiving 25 percent. The designated charity is the Barbaro Memorial Fund.

''It's certainly creative, it's certainly fun and it has something for the horsemen, which we always want to embrace,'' Churchill Downs president and chief executive Robert Evans said at a news conference. ''What's really cool is it will force us to remember Barbaro.''
    
Meanwhile, the Derby favorite – Curlin – is going against the odds this year. It's been 125 years since Apollo won after skipping his 2-year-old season, and not since Regret in 1915 has such a lightly seasoned horse worn the blanket of red roses.

Arkansas Derby winner Curlin – unbeaten in three career races – tries to overcome both those obstacles in Saturday's 133rd Derby.

''We're not running against history,'' trainer Steve Asmussen said Monday. ''We're running against who they load up.''

Six other horses have run in the Derby without benefit of 2-year-old races and with three or fewer starts. The best any of them managed was a sixth-place finish by Showing Up last year.
   
Asmussen dismissed suggestions that Curlin's lack of racing experience could keep him from the winner's circle.

”He exudes confidence and he's got a great presence about him,'' the trainer said. ''I feel great about the position we're in. He's not worried about anything, why should you be?''
   
The Kentucky Derby is at 4:04 p.m., ET Saturday.

For complete odds on the Kentucky Derby, visit MySportsbook.com. Mysportsbook.com online sportsbook accepts Visa and Mastercard credit cards.


MySportsbook.com : Fortune Favors Favorites in March Madness betting?

Just like Day 1 of the “Sweet 16”, Friday’s games are chock full of some of the nation’s elite.  Unlike Thursday’s games, there is a little bit more of a “Cinderella” feel as #7 seed UNLV and #6 seed Vanderbilt will attempt to move on to the Elite Eight.  With powerhouses Florida, UNC and Georgetown looking to continue their momentum against lesser known teams, it isn’t surprising that once again the “betting public” is backing most of the favorites.  As the early coin rolls in, 56% of Sportsbook.com bettors prefer Georgetown (-7.5) as they take on Vanderbilt; 84% of the early money is backing Oregon (-3) as they square off against UNLV; and a slight majority (52%) of the early cash is on Florida (-10.5) against Butler as the Gators continue their quest for another National Title. The only favorite the public don’t seem confident in is UNC, as 59% of the cash is backing the underdog Trojans (+8).

Midwest

#1 Florida vs. #5 Butler

The defending National Champs have been on a mission since last April.  Joakim Noah and Al Horford turned down millions of dollars for one reason, to REPEAT.  After a late season hiccup which saw them lose three out of four, the Gators have won six straight by an average of 20.3 points. More importantly, they covered in five of those six games.  Behind their stymie defense that yields only 56.9 PPG, Butler has been a very pleasant surprise this season.  As their 20-11 ATS record will indicate, “surprise teams” like Butler are often good bets for gamblers.  Playing in an average conference, Butler wasn’t and underdog too often but when they were, they covered (6-0 ATS).  Butler’s defense will have its hands full against a Gators offense which averages 80.1 PPG on an amazing 52.9% shooting from the field.  With Florida’s tournament experience over the last few years, it isn’t surprising that they are 5-1 ATS this season, 20-4 ATS over the last three seasons and 38-20 since 1997 in tournament action.

#3 Oregon vs. #7 UNLV

As a #7 seed, UNLV is the closest thing to a “Cinderella” we have this year.  If you bet on UNLV this season with any regularity, you most likely cashed in. Behind their guard oriented attack, the Rebels are an impressive 20-11 ATS this season.  As an underdog they covered in 8 out of their ten games which isn’t surprising since they are 52-30 ATS as a ‘dog since 1997. The Rebels have been a consistent cover during the month of March as well.  This March they are 6-0 ATS, 11-3 ATS over the last three seasons and 24-11 since 1997. Their impressive ATS trends don’t end there; versus teams with a winning record they are 15-6 ATS this season and 41-21 over the last three seasons.  Although Oregon hasn’t been as generous to gamblers as UNLV this season, they have been covering consistently as of late.  There is no question that they are playing their best ball of the season having won their last 8 straight up (SU) by an average of 14.5 points. Not surprising they covered in 7 of those games.  It is interesting to note how similar these teams are in regards to scoring and scoring defense. UNLV averages 75 PPG while giving up 66.5 PPG and Oregon scores 75.8 PPG while yielding 65.5 PPG.

East

#6 Vanderbilt vs. #2 Georgetown

“Hoya Paranoia” is officially back! After a decent start, Georgetown has rolled through the second half of the season.  Over their last 18 games, they are 17-1 SU.  They have definitely improved ATS as the season has progressed as well. After opening the season 1-4-1 ATS, the Hoyas have covered 78.3% of their games.  With their great interior play of Jeff Green and Roy Hibbert, the Hoyas as a team shoot 50.5% from the field.  Like the Georgetown teams from years ago, they also excel on defense.  Hoya opponents averaged only 56.8 PPG on 38.2% shooting from the field and an extremely low 30.4% from beyond the arc.  The last stat could be of some concern to Vanderbilt considering they shoot 37.7% from long-range.  Ranking second to last in the SEC in rebounding margin, Vanderbilt will have its work cut out for them against the Hoya trees. As far as covering is concerned, Vanderbilt has been almost a “sure thing” (7-1 ATS) versus good defensive teams that allow less than 64 PPG.

#1 UNC vs. # 5 USC

The Tar Heels are as talented and as deep as any team in the country.  Going ten deep and chock full of HS All-Americans, UNC averages 86.1 PPG and scored 100+ seven times.  Led by All-American forward, Tyler Hansbrough (18.6 PPG 7.9 RPG) UNC has a very balanced attack which can kill you on the inside as well as on the perimeter.  UNC only real concern is their youth as eight of their rotation players are either sophomores or freshmen.  UNC was a reliable cover this season going 20-13 ATS.  An intriguing covering trend for the Tar Heels in recent years has been how they fared after non-conference games.  This season they are 11-3 ATS after non-conference games and over the last three seasons they are 31-13 ATS.  USC is also a pretty deep team which is loaded with swingman types.  An match-up to keep an eye on will be freshman forward Taj Gibson (12.1 PPG, 8.6 RPG) as he squares off against the AA Hansbrough.  USC has been a covering machine this season achieving a 21-10 record ATS.  They have thrived in the underdog role, having covered 10 out of 12.  When playing a team with a winning record, the Trojans are an incredible 20-6 ATS. Keep in mind, USC dedicated their season to former star to Ryan Francis who passed away before the season so as they get closer to the ultimate goal, emotion could definitely be on their side.

With Friday -105 juice on Basketball betting, MySportsbook.com is the place to bet on all of the “March Madness” action.  Don’t forget to monitor who the public is backing at this sportsbook “Betting Trends”.  By doing so, you have the best chance of predicting a possible line change, thus getting the best value for your wager.

To bet on March Madness games this online sportsbook accepts credit cards

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