Bulls exercise options on Thomas and Sefolosha

Basketball Betting Lines

10/19/2007 - Chicago, IL (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Chicago Bulls announced on Friday that the team has picked up the 2008-09 contract options for forward Tyrus Thomas and guard Thabo Sefolosha.

Thomas was selected to the 2006-07 NBA All-Rookie Second Team after averaging 5.2 points and 3.7 rebounds in 72 games. Originally drafted by Portland, Thomas was acquired, along with Viktor Khryapa, from the Trail Blazers for the draft rights to LaMarcus Aldridge.

Sefolosha averaged 3.6 points and 2.2 rebounds in 71 games last season after coming to the Bulls in a draft-day deal with Philadelphia for the draft rights to Rodney Carney and cash considerations.

Casiononnet Basketball Betting News

<< Ravens' Heap, McAlister doubtful
Baltimore, MD (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Baltimore Ravens tight end Todd Heap and defensive back Chris McAlister are both listed as doubtful for Sunday's game against the Buffalo Bills. Heap is nursing a thigh injury while McAlister has

<< Pats' Maroney questionable
Foxboro, MA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - New England running back Laurence Maroney is listed as questionable for the team's game at Miami on Sunday. Maroney has not played since suffering a groin injury in a Week 3 showdown with Buf

<< Texans' WR Johnson out for Week 7
Houston, TX (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Houston Texans wide receiver Andre Johnson is listed as doubtful for Sunday's matchup against the Tennessee Titans, but according to head coach Gary Kubiak, Johnson will not play. "Of course Andre Johnso

<< Falcons' TE Crumpler doubtful with knee, ankle injuries
Flowery Branch, GA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Atlanta Falcons tight end Alge Crumpler has not practiced all week because of knee and ankle injuries and is listed as doubtful for Sunday's game against the New Orleans Saints. Crumpler, a four-time

<< Colts' Harrison questionable against Jaguars
Indianapolis, IN (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Indianapolis Colts wide receiver Marvin Harrison is listed as questionable for Monday night's game against the Jacksonville Jaguars. Harrison, who bruised his left knee in a game against Denver

Revs need spark in season finale against TFC >>
Toronto, ON (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - New England has lost two straight for the first time this year and enters its last game before the playoffs in need of a spark against Toronto FC. The Revolution won the U.S. Open Cup on Oct. 3, but lost to Chi

Western crown on the line at The Home Depot Center >>
Carson, CA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - CD Chivas USA hosts the Houston Dynamo Saturday night in a Major League Soccer clash to decide the Western Conference title and home field advantage in a possible Western Conference Championship between the top

Gordon on top in qualifying at Martinsville >>
Martinsville, VA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - He was fastest in practice, albeit a short one, and Jeff Gordon kept the speed up in qualifying winning the pole for Sunday's Subway 500 at the Martinsville Speedway, the sixth race of the 10- race "

Pepperdine dismisses Costain >>
Malibu, CA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Pepperdine University announced on Friday that men's basketball senior guard Kingsley Costain has been dismissed from the school for violating a university policy. "It's unfortunate to lose a player of

Rio Grande Valley Silverados (CBA) >>
Signed guard Mike Dean.

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.