Higgins, Panthers agree to deal

Hockey Betting Lines

07/02/2010 -

SUNRISE, Fla. (AP) -The Florida Panthers have signed left wing Chris Higgins to a one-year contract.

Higgins was Montreal's first-round draft pick in 2002 and had 72 goals for the Canadiens in his first three full NHL seasons. He's scored just 20 goals in the three years since, splitting time with Montreal, Calgary and the New York Rangers.

The Panthers also signed right wing Bill Thomas and left wing Triston Grant to one-year, two-way contracts Friday. Both played primarily in the American Hockey League last season, though Panthers general manager Dale Tallon said each would have a chance to compete for NHL jobs with the Panthers in training camp.Copyright © 2005 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. The information contained in the AP News report may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without the prior written authority of The Associated Press.

Wcdnow Hockey Betting News

<< AL Central: Slowly but surely, Royals making strides
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Here's a trivia question sure to stump your buddies: name the team that currently leads the majors in team batting average. And no, it's not the Yankees, Red Sox or Rangers. Give up? It's ok, that team would be the perenni

<< Lightning bring back Kubina on two-year deal
Tampa, FL (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Tampa Bay Lightning have signed defenseman Pavel Kubina to a two-year contract, bringing him back to the club he helped to a Stanley Cup championship in 2004. Kubina, 33, spent the first eight seasons

<< Paraguay will have trouble stopping Spain
Johannesburg, South Africa (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Spain coach Vincente del Bosque admitted a few days ago "it's difficult to stop us" when we're in top form, so Paraguay faces a huge challenge Saturday in the FIFA World Cup quarterfinals. Spain

<< Argentina, Germany ready to move war onto the pitch
Cape Town, South Africa (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Argentina and Germany reignited a dormant rivalry four years ago in a World Cup quarterfinal that ended with a melee, and they meet again in the final eight Saturday at Green Point Stadium in what

<< Oilers re-sign Strudwick
Edmonton, AB (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Edmonton Oilers came to terms with defenseman Jason Strudwick on a one-year contract Friday. Strudwick, who turns 35 on July 17, played in 72 games with the Oilers last season -- his second in

Bobcats' Jackson vows to be trimmer, more focused >>
ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) -Back in the gym at the earliest time of his career in the offseason, Stephen Jackson is determined to become a leaner and more focused leader of the Charlotte Bobcats.Jackson is in Orlando working out as mostly undrafted rookies

Sunderland acquires Al-Muhammadi on loan >>
Sunderland, England (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Sunderland manager Steve Bruce has confirmed the signing of Egypt international Ahmed Al-Muhammadi on a season- long loan. The north east-based outfit agreed the deal with ENPPI for the player, w

Alabama A&M football player killed >>
Bessemer, AL (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Alabama A&M football player Maurice Thomas was fatally shot inside a nightclub in his hometown early Friday morning, The Birmingham News reported. Thomas, 23, and two other men were shot about 3 a.m. insid

Lions bring back CB Bly >>
Allen Park, MI (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Detroit Lions have signed cornerback Dre' Bly to a two-year contract, the team announced Friday. Bly, an 11-year NFL veteran, returns to Detroit, where he spent four seasons (2003-06) and earned tw

England to keep Capello as manager >>
London, England (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - England's Football Association confirmed on Friday it will keep Fabio Capello as manager, despite the team's exit from the World Cup in the round of 16. Capello was under pressure after England lost to Germ

Betting the NFL preseason

Rule No. 1 in the gamblers' handbook states, "Avoid sports betting on meaningless games."

When you're drowning in a sea of baseball monotony, however, things change. Even a hint of pro football betting can persuade the most disciplined bettor to break a few rules. 

The NFL preseason is around the corner, with a tempting Hall of Fame match kicking off on Sunday. But bettors must stay vigilant. Wagering on NFL exhibition games is an entirely different beast than the regular season. Most fans don't recognize the players on the field because starters get as much action in August as Warcraft fans get on Prom night.

The only certainty about the NFL this time of year is uncertainty – and yet there are some who say betting in August can be a gold mine.

“I actually feel the NFL preseason presents solid profit opportunities for sharp bettors and handicappers,” Sports Expert Steve Merril explains. “My experience has been that the sportsbooks fear the preseason, which is evident by lower limits and massive moves.”

The line moves are attributed to the limited knowledge available regarding playing-time distribution. One team’s top unit out on the field for one more series has an impact on the pointspread. Setting lines in the preseason often is a shot in the dark.

“We base the betting lines mostly on public perception,” Pete Korner, founder of the Sports Club in Las Vegas, says. “It’s very tough to predict, almost a guessing game.”

The preseason is all about figuring out who’s in and for how long.

“It becomes a race between bettors and oddsmakers to find out how long the quarterbacks are going to stay in,” Korner admits. “If a sharp gets the information first, he could exploit an early line. I’m a full believer in moving the line in the preseason if the books find out something late in the week.”

Determining what each team’s motive is can help bettors handicap. To do this you must pay close attention to the philosophies head coaches employ in exhibition play.

“You need to know what a coach is trying to accomplish,” says Covers Expert Bryan Leonard. “Sometimes a new coach will want to instill a winning attitude. Others just want to make sure their starters don’t get hurt."

So how do you distinguish who’s playing scared and who’s playing for keeps?

“Head coaches on the hot seat or new coaches trying to implement a winning attitude usually try harder to win in the preseason,” Merril says.

Cleveland Browns head coach Romeo Crennel fits this criteria. He’s entering his third season as the sideline boss and has yet to lead the Browns to more than six wins.

Cleveland is an enticing bet as well because of the unresolved quarterback situation. General manager Phil Savage sacrificed the Browns’ first-round pick in next year’s draft for Brady Quinn, but the former Notre Dame quarterback hasn’t signed or reported to training camp yet.

Charlie Frye and Derek Anderson split time at QB last season and it looks like either player (or even Quinn) could be the opening-day starter.

“If a team has quarterback depth and the pecking order hasn’t been decided, it’s a big advantage,” Leonard says.

Even in the third week of the preseason when starters generally play the most, the final outcome of the game is in the hands of fringe players. A team's talent, all the way down to the last man on the roster, is something to consider.

The New England Patriots have long been considered one of the deeper teams in the NFL and coach Bill Belichick has said in the past he’s unafraid of stars getting hurt in games with nothing on the line. He shocked his colleagues in 2003 by playing some of his starters on special teams in the preseason.

“We want to have the team ready to play a tough, physical game and preparation has to go into that and I imagine a certain amount of injuries go with it,” Belichick told the Providence Journal in August 2003.

Bettors can only hope to find more teams that share the Pats' business-like approach to the preseason (New England is 17-9-3 against the spread since 2000) and take advantage of teams who detest the exhibition schedule.

To visit this online sportsbook got to MySportsbook.com for all your bet on football needs. Mysportsbook.com online sportsbook accepts Visa and Mastercard credit cards.