Clippers pick up lopsided win at Atlanta

Basketball Betting Lines

02/07/2009 - Atlanta, GA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Al Thornton scored a game-best 31 points to go with seven rebounds and six assists to lead the Los Angeles Clippers in a 121-97 thrashing of the Atlanta Hawks at Philips Arena.

Zach Randolph added 25 points and nine boards for the Clippers, who have won two in a row but are still just 2-7 in their last nine games. Marcus Camby donated 16 points and Baron Davis 13 with eight assists.

"It's very important for us to get on a roll," said Thornton. "It feels good that we can carry this momentum into the break."

Marvin Williams and Joe Johnson, who had missed the last two games with the flu, scored 17 points apiece for the Hawks, who had won two straight coming in. Josh Smith recorded his 12th double-double of the season with 16 points and 15 boards; he has eight double-doubles in his last 13 games.

"It was tough, man," said Johnson. "I'm still battling a little bit of this cold, I just wanted to be out there for the guys. If I would've known we would stink it up like this I would've came in my suit."

Atlanta was without the services of point guard Mike Bibby, who sprained his left foot in Friday's 102-97 victory over the Bobcats.

The Clippers jumped out to a 27-17 lead after the first quarter and were on top 55-41 heading into the break.

Baskets from Acie Law, Williams and Smith to start the third quarter brought the Hawks within 55-47 with just under 10 minutes left in the frame.

LA's lead hovered around nine points before Randolph's three and Thornton's dunk opened a 75-61 Clippers advantage.

Thornton's fade away jumper gave the visitors a 20-point lead late in the third, but Flip Murray drained a pair of free throws to make it 90-72 heading into the fourth.

Davis' three-pointer and Steve Novak's layup gave the Clips a 100-74 lead with 9:15 left to play.

The Clippers cruised to the finish with their lead never dipping below 20 points.

Game Notes

The Clippers shot 57 percent while the Hawks hit at a 45.2 percent clip...The Hawks opened a quick two-game homestand Saturday and will also host the Washington Wizards. Atlanta is 18-6 at home this season and just completed a three-game road trip with a 2-1 mark...The Clippers moved to 2-4 on a seven- game road trip and are 7-19 as the visitor this season. The Clippers will also visit the Bobcats on their current road swing...Atlanta defeated Los Angeles, 97-80, on January 14 this season at Staples Center and had won two straight. The Clippers had dropped two in a row and 10 of their previous 13 trips to Philips Arena.

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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.