Celtics handle Grizzlies, earn fourth straight win

Basketball Betting Lines

02/05/2012 - Boston, MA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Kevin Garnett had 24 points and nine rebounds as the Boston Celtics handled the Memphis Grizzlies, 98-80, at TD Garden.

Paul Pierce added 21 points while Ray Allen and Chris Wilcox each netted 12 as the Celtics won their fourth straight game and remained perfect in a five-game homestand.

Rudy Gay had 21 points and seven rebounds to pace Memphis, which wrapped up a three-game road trip with a 1-2 record by dropping its last two contests.

After an 8-2 spurt by the Grizzlies put them up, 12-6, in the first quarter, the Celtics reeled off 10 straight points to jump ahead and held a 24-16 lead after the opening frame.

Memphis then came out hot in the second, opening the quarter with a 16-3 run that included five consecutive Boston turnovers and eight points by O.J. Mayo to take a 32-27 lead with less than seven minutes to go in the half.

The Celtics, though, responded with their own 16-3 swing to close out the half and owned a 43-35 advantage at the break.

Neither team shot well from long distance in the first half, as Memphis went 1-for-7 from three-point range and Boston connected on 1-of-10 shots from beyond the arc. Both teams also had 10 turnovers apiece in the first 24 minutes.

But Boston found its three-point stroke in the third quarter, converting on 5- of-8 shots from long distance -- three from Allen -- as the Celtics led by no less than five points and by as many as 12 en route to a 69-61 lead at the end of three quarters.

The game was never in doubt in the fourth, with Boston leading by double digits for the majority of the quarter.

Game Notes

Boston improved to 9-6 at home this season while Memphis fell to 5-9 on the road...The Celtics will also host Charlotte and the Los Angeles Lakers in the homestand...Boston recorded its first win of the season against a member of the Western Conference. The Celtics had been 0-4 against Western Conference foes...Pierce sits nine points shy of tying Larry Bird (21,791) for second on Boston's all-time scoring list...Mayo finished with 15 points for the Grizzlies.

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American Idol Betting Season 6 Strategies  

It's that time of year folks.  Betting on American Idol Season 9.  And we have plenty of American Idol Season 6 strategies appearing below.  With the Top 24 finalists revealed, online gambling sites will be offering betting odds on each of them, including MySportsbook.com.

No other “event” has been growing as fast as wagering on American Idol. It has turned into a huge betting event with reasonably high limits and all sorts of profit-making potential for sharp bettors. Last year, MySportsbook.com experienced unprecedented traffic as a result of the American Idol betting craze.

Every week there will be odds to win American Idol, various elimination props and contestant versus contestant match-ups at the MySportsbook.com website.

Whether a fan of America’s top-rated show or watching only because of a wife or girlfriend, here are some of basic strategies to use when betting American Idol.

Odds to Win

There are a few things to consider when looking for the right win bet. First off, remember that this bet is for the long haul. Many people make the mistake of picking the performer who sang the best the previous week. This strategy leads to an underlay situation – betting a price, which is less than what it should be.

All Idol contestants struggle at some point in the competition, so you should always look for value. In last year’s competition alone, two performers who had some of the best performances early in the series were subsequently bet down to low prices - Lisa Tucker and Ace Young. After just a few weeks, Tucker had already been eliminated, while Young quickly became a huge long shot to win America’s largest talent search.

A better strategy is to look for performers who don’t necessarily get the praise from the judges, but show flashes of the talent necessary to go the distance.

Another important thing to remember when betting any contestant to win is the demographic breakdown of the voters, the viewing public and potential future CD purchasers. Unlike sporting events, American Idol is not decided on the field of play – it’s decided by the American public under the guiding influence of the shows producers.

Understand that the great state of Alabama has a mighty edge when it comes to American Idol. 

Therefore, to be successful betting on American Idol, put any personal opinions or prejudices aside and think like the majority of the voting public. Remember that the typical voter is young, female and quite often, Southern.

If a contestant cannot appeal to this demographic, no matter how much talent he or she possesses, they’ll struggle for votes. Looks, demeanor and charisma are extremely important. And it’s no coincidence that every Idol winner so far has hailed from a Southern state.

Elimination Props

Every week MySportsbook.com anticipates offering a prop on who’ll be eliminated from the show each Wednesday night. A suggestion to handicap this is to gauge an overall feel for who’s the least popular contestant left in the competition. Generally the least popular performers have recently appeared in the bottom three and will have been the target of repeated criticism from the judges.

Last year, resources included dialidol.com and votefortheworst.com. Dialidol.com measures the volume of each contestant’s voting line. While by no means a perfect science, it does give a good indication of who is generating votes and who isn’t. Meanwhile, votefortheworst.com is a site that attempts to build support for the worst competitor to keep them in the competition for ‘entertainment’ value. The site has a proven track record of keeping performers around who most feel should have been voted off a long time ago.

Contestant vs. Contestant Match-ups

The best strategy for doing well on match-ups is to assess how close either of the contestants is to being eliminated. If neither is expected to be voted off of the show in the coming weeks, the value is almost always on the underdog. If both are expecting an imminent exit in the near future, the favorite in the match-up might offer value.

Watch for American Idol betting odds on each of the contestants shortly and good luck with these American Idol betting strategies.

To visit this online sportsbook got to MySportsbook.com - this sportsbook accepts credit cards.