Harden lifts Thunder over Jazz

Basketball Betting Lines

02/14/2012 - Oklahoma City, OK (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - James Harden scored 22 points and dished out five assists off the bench, and the Oklahoma City Thunder defeated the Utah Jazz, 111-85, at Chesapeake Energy Arena on Tuesday.

Kevin Durant had 21 points and fellow All-Star Russell Westbrook added 16, while Serge Ibaka notched a double-double with 16 points and 10 rebounds for the Thunder, who won their second consecutive game, both over Utah. Oklahoma City bested the Jazz, 101-87, on the road Friday.

Al Jefferson scored 15 and Paul Millsap posted 10 points and eight rebounds for the Jazz, who lost their fifth game in six tries.

Oklahoma City shot 54.5 percent from the field, while holding Utah to just 35.6 percent.

Jefferson scored 11 in the first quarter on 5-of-10 shooting from the field, but his teammates shot just 18.8 percent (3-of-16), and the Thunder utilized a balanced attack to take a 25-19 lead after one.

The second period belonged to the Oklahoma City bench. Paced by Harden's nine points, the Thunder reserves scored 16 of the team's 28, including five from Harden during a 9-0 run after the Jazz cut their deficit to just three. The home team entered the locker room up 53-39.

Utah was on the precipice of getting back into the game near the midpoint of the third, rolling off a 8-2 spurt to cut the deficit to 12, but the Thunder responded by scoring 13 of the next 19. Oklahoma City led 79-63 after three.

Game Notes

Oklahoma City won its seventh consecutive game at home...The Thunder have won four of their last five...Oklahoma City held a 60-42 edge in points scored in the paint and 17-4 in fastbreak points...The Thunder led by as many as 27. Utah never led.

Metrocasinio Basketball Betting News

<< Nabokov, Islanders down Jets
Winnipeg, MB (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Evgeni Nabokov stopped 37 shots to lift the New York Islanders to a 3-1 win over the Jets at MTS Centre. P.A. Parenteau had a goal and an assist while Matt Martin and Matt Moulson also scored for the Is

<< Spurs hang on to beat Pistons
Auburn Hills, MI (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Tim Duncan had 18 points and 13 rebounds, as the Spurs hung on for a 99-95 win over the Pistons on Tuesday. Tony Parker scored eight of his 14 points in the fourth quarter for the Spurs, who won their ei

<< Conley helps Grizzlies top Rockets
Memphis, TN (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Mike Conley scored 21 points on 3-of-4 shooting from three-point range as the Grizzlies defeated the Rockets, 93-83, at FedEx Forum on Tuesday. Memphis had five scorers in double figures, including

<< Trail Blazers' Aldridge suffers ankle injury
Portland, OR (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Portland Trail Blazers forward LaMarcus Aldridge left Tuesday's contest against the Washington Wizards with a left ankle sprain. Less than two minutes into the first quarter, Aldridge sank a fadeaw

<< Deng helps Bulls hold off Kings
Chicago, IL (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Luol Deng had 23 points and 11 assists and the Chicago Bulls survived another game without Derrick Rose, holding on to beat the Sacramento Kings 121-115 on Tuesday night. Joakim Noah added 22 points and 11

Ohio State downs Minnesota >>
Minneapolis, MN (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - William Buford had 24 points and Jared Sullinger chipped in 23 as No. 6 Ohio State downed Minnesota, 78-68, at Williams Arena on Tuesday. Buford and Sullinger each added eight rebounds and De

Afflalo helps Denver dominate Phoenix >>
Denver, CO (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Aaron Afflalo scored 20 points on 7-for-11 shooting, and the Denver Nuggets led wire-to-wire as they knocked off the Phoenix Suns, 109-92, at Pepsi Center on Tuesday. Six Nuggets scored in double fi

Red Wings set home winning streak record >>
Detroit, MI (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Detroit Red Wings now hold the NHL record for most consecutive home wins thanks to a 3-1 win over the Dallas Stars at Joe Louis Arena. The last loss the Red Wings suffered in front of the home c

Flames stay hot against Toronto >>
Calgary, AB (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Miikka Kiprusoff made 41 saves, backstopping the Calgary Flames to a convincing 5-1 win over the Toronto Maple Leafs at Scotiabank Saddledome. Calgary's top-line trio of Olli Jokinen, Alex Tanguay and J

Gasol leads Lakers over Hawks >>
Los Angeles, CA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Pau Gasol had 20 points, doubling up Kobe Bryant, and the Los Angeles Lakers returned home with an 86-78 win over the Atlanta Hawks on Tuesday night. Bryant had 10 points on 5-of-18 shooting without

SPORTS BETTING

NFL Football Betting Online

In terms of sports wagering, the NFL is "the most popular game in town." The explanation behind that is easy.

It is called the "pointspread."

Many years ago, NFL games, as well as the more popular college games, used straight odds as a vehicle for betting. For example, if the Bears were playing the Giants, and it shaped up as a competitive contest, the Bears might be, say, a 7/5 favorite. If they were playing an also-ran, it might be 10/1. Well, there is a point where a line becomes prohibitive, as far as betting the favorite. And who would waste money betting an underdog that has virtually no chance? Such a setup did not contribute to promoting betting action.

But in modern sports betting, a "pointspread" is used.

A NFL pointspreads are exactly that, a pre-established point difference between the two sides that will, for all intents and purposes, create a handicap that evens things out, and in doing so, produces comparable wagering activity on both sides of that proposition. So in lieu of a odds figure in which to bet the team to win outright, the Bears might be a three-point favorite over the New York Giants, and a 17-point favorite over the also-ran. Now that the team that is the underdog can "get" points, there can be equal action on both sides.

In sportsbooks, this is usually done with efficiency by charging the losing bettors 10% extra - in effect, bettors are laying 11/10 on those games. So they are actually betting $110 to win $100. If they lose, they pay the "vig." If they win, they simply collect.

The establishment of the pointspread as the corner stone around which team sports like football can be wagered upon was truly what brought gridiron betting into the stratosphere for online football betting .

Don't believe it? Just take a look at what happens around the Super Bowl.

Stay with us here as we take you through the best in NFL action on a consistent basis, with advice columns as well as handicapping selections. If you're looking for college football betting, that's in our NCAA section, which you can reach by clicking here. And if you're looking for a different kind of football, such as the Canadian Football League, which we'll deal with occasionally, or the Arena Football League, which we really like, you can find it in our Miscellaneous section by clicking

Note: Monday night game will be picked Monday. Lines used are from football betting odds .
To visit this online sportsbook got to MySportsbook.com for all your football betting needs. Mysportsbook.com online sportsbook betting credit cards