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Packers Terminate Top Three NFC Seeds, Prepare For Super Bowl 45

The Green Bay Packers and Pittsburgh Steelers have taken different routes to reach Super Bowl 45, which should make for an intriguing game when the two conference champs square off for league-wide bragging rights.

On one hand, the Pittsburgh Steelers, a fabled franchise with a recent history of success, won admirably against the Baltimore Ravens and New York Jets after their first-round bye. But, the No. 2 seed never really did have to face their toughest competition as the No. 1-seeded New England Patriots were taken down by the Jets in the divisional round

The Green Bay Packers, in contrast, a sixth-seeded NFC club with concerns over Aaron Rodgers? health were put to the test early and often, starting with a tough wildcard weekend matchup with the Philadelphia Eagles. Since then, the Packers have defeated seeds 1-3 in the NFC, each and every time on the road.

Does the momentum of how teams get to the Super Bowl have an impact on their confidence in it? We?ll find out when the two clubs square off in Dallas? Cowboys Stadium on Feb. 6.

Get all your NFL odds at Bodog. Be a Player.

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Steelers Vie For Third Super Bowl Win In Six Years

Steelers Vie For Third Super Bowl Win In Six Years

The results of last weekend's AFC and NFC championship games have yielded the contestants for Super Bowl 45 and in two weeks the NFL betting world will watch as the Pittsburgh Steelers take on the Green Bay Packers in Dallas? Cowboys Stadium.

Though the teams will have an off-week before the Feb. 6 event, it?s not undeserved. Both the Steelers and Packers have been tested tirelessly over the course of the 2011 NFL playoffs.

When the New York Jets took down the one time-favored New England Patriots in the divisional playoff round, the Steelers were in for a surprise; an AFC title game against a club that their crystal ball didn?t predict. Whether it worked out better in the long run or not didn?t matter, however, as a 24-19 victory in the clash stamped Pittsburgh?s ticket to their record-tying eighth Super Bowl appearance.

Though they missed out on the playoffs in 2009, the 2008 champion Steelers are familiar with the spotlight of the sport?s greatest stage. In addition to their most recent title, Pittsburgh won in 2005 as well, giving them six in total and two already in the Ben Roethlisberger era.

On the other side of the coin toss will be Aaron Rodgers and the Packers, who have trampled their way to a championship bid since claiming a sixth seed in the NFC.

En route to their NFC championship over the Bears on Sunday (the Packers won 21-14), they also demolished the No. 1-seeded Atlanta Falcons and snuck past the Philadelphia Eagles. Now looking back at the team?s January run of terror, Green Bay has eliminated each of the conference?s top three teams, all of which took place on the road.

Will the momentum of a torrid run through the conference be enough to propel the Packers past the Steelers when they meet in Texas for the Super Bowl? A win would give Green Bay their fourth Super Bowl and first since 1996.

Get all your NFL & Super Bowl odds at Bodog. Be a Player.

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New Orleans Make Case For Elite Status In West

New Orleans Make Case For Elite Status In West

The New Orleans Hornets will head west this week in defense of a recent hot streak that has helped them ascend the Western Conference standings. The rise to the top of the pile wouldn?t be the first time this season. After a torrid 2010-11 start in November the Hornets sloughed off as the year progressed.

Now heading in the second half of the season, the Hornets look poised to finish what they started when it debuted.

Though it might be hard to rank the Hornets ahead of a team like the reigning champion Los Angeles Lakers, it?s not unreasonable to imagine superstar point guard Chris Paul positioning his franchise in the upper echelon of the league?s elite.

To bet on the New Orleans Hornets, check out Bodog?s online sportsbook.

Though they missed out on the post-season altogether last season, they?re just three years removed from leading the Southwest Division with a 56-26 record that put Paul and the franchise on the map in 2008.

Through the first 45 games of this season the Hornets have posted a 29-16 record, currently trailing the Lakers and San Antonio Spurs for west supremacy. As always, it has been point guard Paul powering their dominance.

Averaging just over 16 points per game and nearly 10 assists, Paul has set his team up for success, specifically partner in crime David West. With just under 19 points per game, West leads the franchise in limited minutes, a testament to the depth of the roster.

With West scoring, Paul orchestrating the offense, and big man Emeka Okafor contributing as much as ever defensively, the core is in place for a franchise to compete down the stretch for home court advantage in the first round of the NBA playoffs.

According to Bodog?s online sportsbook, the Hornets have odds of winning the NBA championship. If the team can continue their hot play of late on the road this week, you may see those odds improve.

Get all your NBA odds at Bodog. Get Courtside with Bodog.

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Bodog Sports Props for 2011 NHL All-Star Game

Who will win the 2011 NHL All Star Game?

Team Lindstrom -110

Team Staal -110

Who will be the first Player drafted in the 2011 All Star Fantasy Draft?

Ales Hemsky 50/1

Alex Ovechkin 4/1

Anze Kopitar 30/1

Brad Richards 35/1

Brent Burns 50/1

Cam Ward 15/1

Carey Price 35/1

Claude Giroux 45/1

Corey Perry 35/1

Dan Boyle 30/1

Daniel Sedin 15/1

David Backes 50/1

Duncan Keith 20/1

Dustin Byfuglien 20/1

Erik Karlsson 50/1

Evgeni Malkin 15/1

Henrik Lundqvist 30/1

Henrik Sedin 4/1

Jarome Iginla 25/1

Jonas Hiller 35/1

Jonathan Toews 20/1

Kris Letang 30/1

Loui Eriksson 40/1

Marc Staal 18/1

Marc-Andre Fleury 30/1

Martin St. Louis 30/1

Matt Duchene 30/1

Mike Green 18/1

Patrick Kane 30/1

Patrick Sharp 30/1

Patrik Elias 45/1

Phil Kessel 35/1

Rick Nash 25/1

Ryan Kesler 30/1

Shea Weber 20/1

Sidney Crosby 5/1

Steven Stamkos 7/1

Tim Thomas 25/1

Tobias Enstrom 50/1

Zdeno Chara 18/1

Who will be the last Player drafted in the 2011 All Star Fantasy Draft?

Ales Hemsky 11/2

Alex Ovechkin 40/1

Anze Kopitar 20/1

Brad Richards 10/1

Claude Giroux 15/2

Corey Perry 10/1

Daniel Sedin 45/1

David Backes 11/2

Evgeni Malkin 30/1

Henrik Sedin 45/1

Jarome Iginla 20/1

Jonathan Toews 30/1

Loui Eriksson 17/2

Martin St. Louis 20/1

Matt Duchene 20/1

Patrick Kane 20/1

Patrick Sharp 20/1

Patrik Elias 15/2

Phil Kessel 10/1

Rick Nash 30/1

Ryan Kesler 15/1

Sidney Crosby 35/1

Steven Stamkos 35/1

What team will get the first pick in the 2011 All Star Fantasy Draft?

Team Lindstrom -110

Team Staal -110

Will the Henrik and Daniel Sedin Play on the same team?

Yes +200

No -270

Will the Eric and Marc Staal play on the same team?

Yes +105

No -145

Will Sidney Crosby Play in the 2011 All Star Game?

Yes +115

No -155

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Who Will Go First and Last in the NHL All-Star Fantasy Draft?

Who Will Go First and Last in the NHL All-Star Fantasy Draft?

by Richard Gardner | Bodog Sportsbook Manager

The NHL All-Star Player Fantasy Draft will be held for the first time in league history on Friday, January 28 in anticipation of the All-Star Game in Raleigh, Carolina two days later.

The fantasy draft is a new, inventive format for the NHL and one that has hockey fans excited for a game that, frankly, has been growing stale for quite some time. The premise is simple and goes back to the schoolyard or backyard rink when teams were decided by two captains picking the players. The best player goes first, the worst one last. (Granted, it?s tough to call any player who?s selected for an all-star game the ?worst? since they?re all pretty good.)

At Bodog, we?ve put together odds on which player will be the first one taken and, also, who will be the last one drafted. Now, it?s worth noting that the last selection must be a forward since all goalies and all defencemen have to be chosen before Round 15 of the draft.

Eric Staal of the Carolina Hurricanes and Nicklas Lidstrom of the Detroit Red Wings have been chosen as the team captains, so they?re out of the running for both categories. In addition, two alternate captains for each team will be named later and will assist the captains in the selection process.

So let?s get to who goes first. There are two favourites, Vancouver?s Henrik Sedin, the reigning MVP of the league, and Washington?s Alex Ovechkin, a fairly decent player himself. Both Sedin and Ovechkin are getting 4/1 odds to be selected first overall. After that it?s Pittsburgh?s Sidney Crosby at 5/1, followed by the Lightning?s star sniper, Steven Stamkos, at 7/1.

It will be interesting to see how the captains play this.

You have to think that if Lidstrom gets the first pick, which will be determined by a coin toss, that he?ll be tempted to look at his fellow Swedish countryman Sedin.

And if patriotism plays any part, Staal, a Canadian, might be pressured into picking Crosby first. Of course, Sid the Kid is widely considered the best player in the world, so it?s not like anyone would accuse Staal of favouritism.

As for Ovechkin, the Capitals? sniper is suffering through a rather disappointing season to date. One of the most dangerous goal-scorers in the game today, the Russian superstar has failed to match the torrid pace of his previous campaigns.

For those who relish uncomfortable moments, perhaps more entertaining than finding out which player will be selected first will be seeing who ends up chosen last.

Our current favourite is Blues forward David Backes (11/2), followed by Edmonton?s Ales Hemsky (6/1) and New Jersey Devil Patrik Elias (15/2). All three are fine players but Backes flies relatively under the radar in St. Louis while Hemsky and Elias are members of the two worst teams in the NHL.

Get all your 2011 NHL All-Star Game odds and make your hockey bets at Bodog.

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NBA Preview: Utah Jazz vs. Los Angeles Lakers

The Utah Jazz and the Los Angeles Lakers will both be gunning for a victory on Tuesday when they meet at STAPLES Center.

Oddsmakers currently have the Lakers listed as 8-point favorites versus the Jazz, while the game's total is sitting at 197½.

In their last action, Utah was a 96-85 loser on the road against the 76ers. They failed to cover the 2.5?point spread as underdogs, while the combined score (181) was profitable news for UNDER bettors.

The Lakers were a 107-97 winner in their most recent outing on the road against the Nuggets. They covered the 1?point spread as favorites, while the total score (204) made winners of UNDER bettors.

Utah: Team record: 27-17 SU, 20-23-1 ATS Current streak: lost 4 straight games.

The total has gone OVER in 5 of last 6 games The total has gone OVER in 7 of last 9 games on the road The total has gone OVER in 14 of last 19 games when playing on the road against LA Lakers The total has gone UNDER in 8 of last 12 games when playing LA Lakers

When playing on Tuesday are 6-4 Before playing San Antonio are 5-5 After playing Philadelphia are 3-7 After a loss are 6-4

Los Angeles: Team record: 32-13 SU, 20-25 ATS

LA Lakers are 5-0 SU in their last 5 games at home LA Lakers are 5-0 SU in their last 5 games when playing at home against Utah The total has gone UNDER in 6 of the LA Lakers last 7 games at home LA Lakers are 6-1 SU in their last 7 games when playing Utah

When playing on Tuesday are 4-6 Before playing Sacramento are 7-3 After playing Denver are 7-3 After a win are 7-3

Next up: Utah home to San Antonio, Wednesday, January 26 LA Lakers home to Sacramento, Friday, January 28

 

 

Jazz vs. Lakers

NBA Preview: Los Angeles Clippers vs. Dallas Mavericks

The Los Angeles Clippers and the Dallas Mavericks will both be trying to pick up a win on Tuesday when they battle at American Airlines Center.

Oddsmakers currently have the Mavericks listed as 6½-point favorites versus the Clippers, while the game's total is sitting at 194.

In their last action, Los Angeles was a 113-109 winner at home against the Warriors. They failed to cover the 8.5?point spread as favorites, while the combined score (222) was profitable news for OVER bettors.

The Mavericks were an 87-86 winner in their most recent outing on the road against the Nets. They failed to cover the 4.5?point spread as favorites, while the total score (173) made winners of UNDER bettors.

Los Angeles: Team record: 17-26 SU, 23-19-1 ATS

The total has gone OVER in 5 of the LA Clippers last 5 games on the road The total has gone OVER in 6 of the LA Clippers last 7 games LA Clippers are 4-1 SU in their last 5 games The total has gone UNDER in 18 of the LA Clippers last 24 games when playing Dallas

When playing on Tuesday are 4-6 Before playing Houston are 3-7 After playing Golden State are 5-5 After a win are 6-4

Dallas: Team record: 28-15 SU, 20-21-2 ATS

is 5-0 SU in their last 5 games when playing at home against LA Clippers is 5-0 SU in their last 5 games when playing LA Clippers The total has gone OVER in 4 of last 5 games at home The total has gone UNDER in 18 of last 24 games when playing LA Clippers

When playing on Tuesday are 7-3 Before playing Houston are 8-2 After playing New Jersey are 5-5 After a win are 6-4

Next up: LA Clippers at Houston, Wednesday, January 26 Dallas home to Houston, Thursday, January 27

 

 

Clippers vs. Mavericks

NCAA Basketball Preview: Florida Gators vs. Georgia Bulldogs

The Florida Gators and the Georgia Bulldogs will both be trying to pick up a win on Tuesday when they battle at Stegeman Coliseum.

Oddsmakers currently have the Bulldogs listed as 2½-point favorites versus the Gators, while the game's total has not yet been posted.

Florida won its last outing, a 75-43 result against Arkansas on January 22. They covered in that game as a 9-point favorite.

Georgia was an 86-64 winner in their most recent outing at home against Mississippi State. They covered the 10?point spread as favorites.

Florida: Team record: 15-4 SU, 5-8 ATS Current streak: won 2 straight games.

is 5-1 SU in its last 6 games on the road is 4-2 SU in its last 6 games when playing on the road against Georgia

When playing on Tuesday are 8-2 Before playing Mississippi State are 8-2 After playing Arkansas are 6-4 After a win are 7-3

Georgia: Team record: 14-4 SU, 7-7 ATS

is 9-1 SU in its last 10 games at home is 11-2 SU in its last 13 games The total has gone OVER in 5 of last 6 games when playing Florida The total has gone OVER in 4 of last 5 games

When playing on Tuesday are 4-6 Before playing Kentucky are 5-5 After playing Mississippi State are 3-7 After a win are 8-2

Next up: Florida at Mississippi State, Saturday, January 29 Georgia at Kentucky, Saturday, January 29

 

Florida vs. Georgia

NCAA Basketball Preview: Purdue Boilermakers vs. Ohio State Buckeyes

The Purdue Boilermakers and the Ohio State Buckeyes will both be trying to pick up a win on Tuesday when they battle at Value City Arena.

Oddsmakers currently have the Buckeyes listed as 7½-point favorites versus the Boilermakers, while the game's total has not yet been posted.

Purdue was an 86-76 winner in its last match at home against Michigan State. They covered the 6.5?point spread as favorites.

Ohio State was a 73-68 winner in their most recent outing on the road against Illinois. They covered the 3.5?point spread as favorites.

Purdue: Team record: 17-3 SU, 11-5 ATS Current streak: won 2 straight games.

The total has gone OVER in 4 of last 5 games on the road is 11-3 SU in its last 14 games on the road The total has gone UNDER in 4 of last 6 games when playing on the road against Ohio State is 2-8-1 ATS in its last 11 games when playing on the road against Ohio State

When playing on Tuesday are 5-5 Before playing Minnesota are 7-3 After playing Michigan State are 7-3 After a win are 9-1

Ohio State: Team record: 20-0 SU, 9-8 ATS Current streak: won 20 straight games.

is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games at home is 10-1 SU in its last 11 games when playing at home against Purdue is 17-5 SU in its last 22 games when playing Purdue

When playing on Tuesday are 7-3 Before playing Northwestern are 7-3 After playing Illinois are 6-4 After a win are 10-0

Next up: Purdue home to Minnesota, Saturday, January 29 Ohio State at Northwestern, Saturday, January 29

 

Purdue vs. Ohio State