Lightning send Meszaros to Flyers

Hockey Betting Lines

07/01/2010 - Tampa, FL (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Tampa Bay Lightning on Thursday shipped defenseman Andrej Meszaros to the Philadelphia Flyers in exchange for a second-round draft pick in 2012.

The 24-year-old posted six goals and 17 points with a minus-14 in 81 games for the Bolts last season, his second with the club after signing a six-year pact in 2008.

In five NHL seasons with Ottawa and Tampa Bay, the former first-round pick in 2004 has compiled 34 goals and 143 points with 299 penalty minutes in 379 contests.

Sportsboo Hockey Betting News

<< Rangers sign G Biron
New York, NY (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The New York Rangers have filled their need for a capable backup goaltender, signing veteran Martin Biron to an undisclosed contract. Biron, who turns 33 in August, appeared in 29 games wi

<< Report: Chargers' Jackson suspended by NFL
San Diego, CA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The San Diego Union-Tribune is reporting that Chargers wide receiver Vincent Jackson has been suspended by the NFL for three games for violating the league's personal-conduct policy. The 27-year-old J

<< Marta stars in WPS All-Star Game
Atlanta, GA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Brazilian star Marta scored twice to lead her Marta XI to a 5-2 win over Abby XI at the 2010 WPS All-Star Game on Wednesday night. Amy Rodriguez added a goal and an assist for the Marta XI. Heather O'Reil

<< D.C. United releases midfielder Castillo
Columbus, OH (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - D.C. United released midfielder Christian Castillo on Wednesday. The 25-year-old made 10 appearances in MLS play in the 2010 season, starting eight of those matches. The Salvadoran winger registered

<< Serena, Zvonareva will decide '10 Wimbledon champ
Wimbledon, England (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Reigning champion and three-time winner Serena Williams will meet 21st-seeded Russian Vera Zvonareva in Saturday's ladies' final at Wimbledon. The world No. 1 Williams handled unseeded Czech lefthander

Five-a-Side: Grambling State coach Rod Broadway >>
Philadelphia, PA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Welcome to Five-a-Side - five questions, five answers. This is a Q&A feature with an influential person in the FCS, and runs at the beginning of each month. Grambling State coaches are used to being in

Calgary gives Tanguay another shot >>
Calgary, AB (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Calgary Flames welcomed back free agent forward Alex Tanguay on a one-year deal Thursday. Tanguay posted 10 goals and 37 points in 80 games for the Tampa Bay Lightning a season ago, and connected for

Senators land Gonchar >>
Ottawa, ON (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Ottawa Senators made a big splash on the first day of free agency, signing defenseman Sergei Gonchar to a three-year contract on Thursday. According to reports, Gonchar inked a deal worth $16.5 mil

'Underdog' Netherlands set for showdown with Brazil >>
Port Elizabeth, South Africa (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Both the Netherlands and Brazil are known for playing some of the most attractive soccer the world has ever seen. The Dutch teams of the 1970s that reached back-to-back World Cup final

Roll of the dice pays off for Rangers >>
Philadelphia, PA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - One player rose from the depths of drug addiction that threatened to end a career before it got started. The other player was out to prove a Hall of Fame-worthy career wasn't over just yet. One drives the

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.