Sports Betting By The Numbers: April 6th, 2011

April 6th, 2011- By Bryan Cross

11/4- Over the course of 74 Masters, 56 times an American has donned the green jacket by the close of Sunday, of which 34 of those were different players. History has shown Americans to finish well at Augusta National Golf Club, but that, has in large part been due to the play of Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson over the course of the past decade. Between the two, they have won six of the last 10 Masters. However, the latest World Golf Rankings indicate a rise in the European golf, with five of the top-six players in the world hailing from Europe, lead by No.1 ranked player Martin Kaymer. Still, American golf has Mickelson and Woods, as well as younger players such as Dustin Johnson, Nick Watney and Rickie Fowler playing well in 2011. Mickelson though. leads the odds at PGA Golf Betting Lines on Bodog Sportsbooks to finish as the top American, going off at 11/4.

-110- The betting odds for Tiger Woods to finish inside the top-10 this week at the 2011 Masters. Woods has 11 top-10 finishes in his last 14 appearances at Augusta National and comes in as the second overall favorite to win his fifth green jacket. However, because of his play over the course of the last season, and the overhaul he is still in the process of making with regards to his swing, Woods is not the overall favorite to capture his 15th Major Championship this week. That honor goes to Mickelson. Still, Woods said during his conference on Tuesday that he believes his game is progressing, and experience on the course most certainly plays and important role in determining who will put on the green jacket at the close of Sunday.

12/5- The betting odds for Kobe Bryant and the Los Angeles Lakers to win the 2011 NBA championship, which would be the team’s third-straight league title. Bryant and the Lakers are currently 3.5 games behind San Antonio for the top-spot in the Western Conference. At 12/5, the Lakers are ahead of teams like the Spurs, as well as the powerhouses in the Eastern Conference in the Chicago Bulls, Boston Celtics and Miami Heat. The Heat began the season as the overall favorites to win the NBA title on Bodog Sportsbook’s NBA Betting Lines, and are in a tie for second with Boston, three games behind Chicago in the Eastern Conference.

0-4- One of the top preseason favorites on MLB Futures Odds to win the 2011 World Series Championship have begun the the season 0-4. After being swept by the Texas Rangers, the Boston Red Sox turned around and lost their first game to the Cleveland on Tuesday. The Red Sox dropped 3-1 in their fourth-straight road game to the the regular season. Prior to the start of the year, the Red Sox were an asserted favorite to capture the AL East title of the New York Yankees and the favorite to win the American League and reach the World Series. It is not the start Boston looked to get out of the gate so far.