Even Online Belmont betting players will have one eye on the NBA Finals, and it’s one of the more intriguing matchups in a few years as Dallas and Miami met in a highly controversial Finals in 2006, and many feel the Heat were gifted a title due to officiating. However, the Mavericks have looked like the best team in the playoffs, so it’s going to be a great matchup when it tips off on Tuesday in Miami

Mavericks Heat Betting – Tuesday, 9:00 PM ET

In their 2006 matchup, in which the Heat won the last four games of the series, Miami went 4-2 SU and 2-4 ATS in six games, with four of those games going under the posted total. However, since then it’s been all Dallas as the Mavericks 10-0 SU and 5-4-1 ATS in their last 10 meetings against the Heat, with six games going over the posted total.

Dallas is 12-3 SU in the playoffs so far, along with a 12-2-1 ATS mark, and nine of those games have gone over the posted total. Miami is also 12-3 SU in the postseason with a 10-5 ATS mark, and again, nine of their games have gone over the posted total, so this is going to be a tough matchup for NBA betting players. The early lines have Miami as a -180 favorite, while Dallas is rated at +160 to keep the title in the West after the Lakers won it two
years in a row. This is going to be a difficult matchup to pick in your sports betting book.

Even Kentucky Derby betting players will looking at past trends to try and give them an edge in the big race, and NBA betting players will be doing the same as the second round of the playoffs is almost underway (Oklahoma City is waiting for the winner of San Antonio-Memphis).

Heat Celtics Betting (Sunday, 3:30 PM ET)

The Celtics should be the favorites in the first game of a series that everyone has been waiting for, and it has the potential to be the best of the entire postseason. Boston has won 10 in a row at home against the Heat, and two straight since Miami put together their version of the “Big Three”. In those 10 meetings, Boston is 7-3 ATS and have covered the last five games.

Hawks Bulls Betting (Monday, 8:00 PM ET)

The Bulls definitely be favored in their series opener against the Hawks on Monday night, but Atlanta is actually 3-2 SU and ATS in their last five trips to the United Center. They were one of five teams to beat the Bulls in Chicago this season, so they’re definitely capable of pulling off an upset, especially as they’re confident after getting rid of their playoff nemesis from Orlando.

Mavericks Lakers Betting (Monday, 10:30 PM ET)

The Lakers will be favored at home against the Mavericks as they’re 8-2 SU in their last 10 at the Staples Center against Dallas, who are 6-4 ATS. The Mavericks tailored their team to compete with the Lakers, so be very wary of any long lines at your sports betting sites.

Saturday is the biggest college basketball betting day of the week, with a number of top teams in action, including a BracketBuster matchup that could be huge. Here is a look at some trends to keep an eye out for.

Pitt St. John’s Betting (12:00 PM ET):

The line for this game will be very close, as the No.4 Panthers are 2-3 SU and ATS in their last five trips to Madison Square Garden. The Red Storm are 6-7 ATS at home despite knocking off some good teams, while Pitt is 6-2 ATS on the road.

Texas Nebraska Betting (1:45 PM ET):

This is another game in which the line will be tight, as the Cornhuskers are 6-4 ATS at home posting a 15-1 SU mark, while the No.3 Longhorns are 8-1 ATS on the road. The Longhorns are 3-2 SU and 2-3 ATS in Lincoln, and this is going to be a very interesting game in the Big 12 that you should really check out.

Utah State Saint Mary’s Betting (9:00 PM ET):

The Gaels should be home favorites in this contest, but they may have thrown some players off with their upset loss at San Diego in midweek action. The No.25 Aggies are 0-2 SU and ATS against the Gaels, who was the last team to win at Utah State before they began a 30-game winning streak. The Gaels have won 19 straight at home, but revenge could play a factor in these sports betting odds on Saturday night.

Sports betting players will anxiously check NBA scores constantly as they wait to see how their picks will turn out, but there is a couple of things you can do before making your selection, and here are some tips to help you out.

Head-To-Head History

Head-to-head history should have a big role in how you make your NBA picks, as some teams just have the number of another team. It could be matchup problems, it could be the fact that one team is just better than the other, it could be coaching styles. You don’t have to go back that far, just check how the last 5-10 games have gone.

Scheduling

Scheduling is playing an increased part in how you should make your NBA picks, as teams have to travel a lot now while playing on back-to-back nights.Some say it doesn’t matter much as teams are flying in private jets and staying in nice hotels, but it definitely plays a role in how teams prepare.Also, when it comes to back-to-back games, check out how a team’s bench is playing, because the subs will have an effect in the second half.

Look At The Names

You can find some great value when looking at names, because some teams are going to be favored regardless of how they’re playing. The Lakers are a prime example of this, as they have been an underdog in only one game this season, yet they haven’t played at all like back-to-back champions. Don’t be afraid to bet against the big names in your sports betting book.

NBA betting online enthusiasts looking for the latest edge over the have come to the right place.

Each season, several telling trends form for basketball sports betting handicappers to consider. Through almost half of the 2010-11 seasons, here are several trends we have noticed.

Straight Up Trends:

In a rather intriguing revelation, it was discovered that home teams had a higher win percentage at 58.79 percent than road teams at 38.14 percent. Essentially through the first quarter of the season, away teams had a win loss record of 222 to 360. Meanwhile, home teams formed a record of 348 wins and 234 losses.

What’s perhaps most astounding were the straight up stats between favorites and underdogs. Thus far in the season, bettors taking the favorite, would have won their bets with a win percentage of 66.01 percent. Yet if you took the underdogs in that same span, you would have only won 31.84 percent of your games.

Moreover, home and away favorites shared almost identical win percentages thus far in the 2010-11 NBA betting season. For instance, home favorites had a win loss record of 279 – 136, good enough for 67.23 winning percentage. While the road favorites had a win loss of 90-54 good enough for a win percentage of 62.50 percent.

Against The Spread Trends:

When it comes to point spread betting trends, fans should expect a little closer of a win percentage between away and home teams. For example, so far this season, road teams have a record of 274-271-14 against the point spread for a win percentage of 50.28.

On the other hand, to find the home team’s record against the point spread, simply reverse the wins and losses for the road team. This would form a record of 271-274-14 good enough for a win percentage of 49.72 percent.

I wonder what the sports betting odds were on how long it would take Allen Iverson to return to the NBA. “The Answer” made his return to the team that drafted him, the Philadelphia 76ers in a 93-83 loss to Denver, where Iverson was traded to last year from Detroit. Iverson played 38 minutes, going 4-of-11 from the floor for 11 points, while adding six assists and five boards for the 76ers. Quite frankly, this is the best scenario for Iverson, and for the 76ers’ NBA betting odds.

First, Philadelphia fans LOVE Iverson. I mean, the last time they were good, he was the reason for it. They’ll follow that dude through a fire if they have to. Second, Iverson seems to realize that it’s Andre Igoudala’s team, as Iggy had 31 against the 76ers. Now, I have no problem with Iverson playing major minutes….as long as he understands that he’s no longer a superstar and starts jacking up 30 shots a game. Iverson is an excellent complementary piece if he keeps his head together, and you never know: the 76ers could be an NBA betting darkhorse in your sportsbook if Iverson sticks to the script.

So, there’s some stuff going on, NBA offseason stuff, affects betting odds, blah, blah, blah….the real news is Stephon Marbury’s five-day bender that he streamed to the world….for what reason, I don’t know. He could even still be doing it, I had to stop after this:

Sucks, because dude used to be one of my favorite ballers, selfishness and all. He tore it up at Georgia Tech, and he has solid career numbers (19.3 points, 7.6 assists in 846 games). Boston thought he was still good enough to help their sports betting chances when they grabbed him late in the season, but outside of one good game (actually, it was more like a quarter), he was little more than a cheerleader. He’s now a sideshow, and I don’t even know what to say about the whole “streaming your life when you’re obviously goin’ through some things” part of this all. All I know is, before Marbury plays in the NBA again, I’d put “Grizzlies to go 82-0″ as one of my sports picks first.

I think I would rather be in a UFC betting match with Brock Lesnar this weekend than talk about the 2010 free agents again. But here we go:

-Dwayne Wade says he’ll stay in Miami if they’re contending for a title….

No, really? You think D-Wade will up and leave a team that could win again? Come on now. The problem is for D-Wade, or better yet, the Heat, is that Miami looks nowhere near a contending team, so they’re not worth wasting one of your sports picks on them. They only got as far as they did last year because D-Wade went absolutely insane, and he would have been the MVP if not for that LeBron James fella. Oh, speaking of which:

-LeBron James didn’t talk to Trevor Ariza about staying in Cleveland….

James apparently told Ariza that he was planning to stay with the Cavs in a recruitment ploy to get him to come there (which didn’t work, for either side, really). First, Ariza: why would you not go to a team that betting services are favoring to win the East, and instead stay with a team that could be losing Yao Ming for the season (and possibly his career), and Ron Artest just bolted to take your spot in L.A.? Second, James’ handlers were quick to come out and say that Bron didn’t talk to Ariza, which begs the question: what are the sports betting odds of him staying in Cleveland? This is the biggest season in the history of the Cavaliers.

Now that the Super Bowl dust has settled, I’ve got some thoughts about the NBA All-Star selections made late last week. There are some notable snubs, as there are every year. In the East, Cleveland’s Mo Williams has had a huge hand in the boost to the Cavaliers’ NBA betting chances, but was passed over in favor of New Jersey’s Devin Harris, whose selection can’t really be argued either, other than the Cavs have a far better record. Boston’s Ray Allen is having a great year, but because of the strength of the swingman in the East (Boston teammate Paul Pierce, Atlanta’s Joe Johnson, Indiana’s Danny Granger), the veteran misses out.

In the West, some eyebrows were raised with the pick of Shaquille O’Neal, who is having a resurgent season in the desert. The fact that the game is held in Phoenix probably had a little to do with it, as Shaq is arguably the greatest ambassador the NBA has. However, Minnesota’s Al Jefferson is one of only three players in the league averaging 20 and 10. Also, Oklahoma City’s Kevin Durant is putting up absurd numbers, but both of these young stars play on terrible teams, and the thinking is that they’ll have plenty more chances to make it to the All-Star game.