NFL Inactives (Thursday, September 9, 2010)

Football Betting Lines

09/09/2010 - Philadelphia, PA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The following is a list of inactive players for tonight's game.

MINNESOTA VIKINGS AT NEW ORLEANS SAINTS, 8:30 P.M. (ET)

Vikings - 3rd QB Joe Webb, CB Cedric Griffin, CB Chris Cook, RB Toby Gerhart, G Chris DeGeare, DT Jimmy Kennedy, TE Mickey Shuler, DE Everson Griffen

Saints - WR Adrian Arrington, LB Stanley Arnoux, TE Jimmy Graham, RB Chris Ivory, LB Danny Clark, T Zach Strief, DE Junior Galette, S Chris Reis

Wwwottawasenators Football Betting News

<< Kosier, Colombo held out of Thursday's practice
Arlington, TX (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Dallas Cowboys could be without two key members of their offensive line for the season-opener, as left guard Kyle Kosier and right tackle Marc Colombo both missed practice Thursday. Colombo was e

<< Former Oilers captain Smith charged
CALGARY, Alberta (AP) - Former Edmonton Oilers captain Jason Smith faces charges of domestic assault and confinement.The Calgary Police Service confirmed Thursday that Smith was arrested after police were called to his southwest Calgary home Aug. 10

<< Blackhawks sign Potulny
Chicago, IL (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Chicago Blackhawks on Thursday signed center Ryan Potulny to a one-year contract. Potulny had a career year for the Oilers last season, recording 15 goals and 17 assists over 64 regular-season games

<< Blue Jays claim P Buchholz
Toronto, ON (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Toronto Blue Jays claimed pitcher Taylor Buchholz off waivers from the Colorado Rockies on Thursday. Buchholz was designated for assignment on Tuesday after going 1-0 with a 4.50 earned run average over

<< Angels to keep Double-A team in Arkansas
Anaheim, CA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim announced they will maintain their Double-A affiliation with the Arkansas Travelers through the 2012 season. The Travelers have served as the Angels' Texas League team

Youzhny wins five-set match to reach U.S. Open semis >>
Flushing Meadows, NY (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Mikhail Youzhny outlasted Stanislas Wawrinka in five sets on Thursday to reach the semifinals at the 2010 U.S. Open. The 12th-seeded Youzhny earned a 3-6, 7-6 (9-7), 3-6, 6-3, 6-3 victory ove

Phoenix extends agreement with Las Vegas >>
Glendale, AZ (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Phoenix Coyotes announced on Thursday that the team has extended their affiliation agreement with Las Vegas of the ECHL. The Wranglers play in the Pacific Division of the 19-team ECHL. The team has the

Portuguese Football Federation dismisses coach Queiroz >>
Lisbon, Portugal (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Portugal fired its national soccer coach Carlos Queiroz, effective immediately, it was announced on Thursday. The Portuguese Football Federation (FPF) made the decision because of the team's poor p

Arsenal's Walcott to miss 4-6 weeks >>
London, England (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Arsenal winger Theo Walcott could be out for six weeks after injuring his ankle while playing internationally for England, it was announced on Thursday. "The tackle looked quite bad," Arsenal man

Padres' Hairston Jr. optimistic after throwing >>
SAN DIEGO (AP) -Padres infielder Jerry Hairston Jr. threw for the first time since going on the disabled list and says he's optimistic about getting back on the field.Hairston says he's ``pleasantly surprised'' after making 30-40 throws at about 80

SPORTS BETTING - Tennis is an underrated and under-utilized bettors' sport.

Ten years ago, at just about this time, I called Alan Boston in Vegas and left him a voicemail that went something like this (abridged version): "Hey Alan, Chad Millman from ESPN The Magazine calling. I want to do a book about wise guys, you in?"

A couple weeks later I got a message back (abridged version): "I don't know, maybe," Boston said. "Call me and we'll talk about it. But not later today. I got $1,000 on Andre Agassi to win the French Open at 40-1, and he's in the finals."

Here's what happened next (abridged version): Agassi won his tourney. Boston won his $40,000. I wrote sportsbook.

In the ten years since, how much has been wagered on the big-time tennis events? Put it this way: The Nevada Gaming Commission doesn't even track the number year by year because it's so small.

"Tennis makes up about one-tenth of one percent of our take," says Lucky's bookmaking boss Jimmy Vaccaro. "The last big golf major we probably had $100,000 worth of bets. In tennis, we might have written two big tickets."

Tennis' lack of popularity amongst the American bettoratti is no surprise, really. For starters, the biggest sports betting holidays -- the Super Bowl, the NCAA tourney -- are must see TV. People, at least the degenerates I know, plan vacations around watching those events in Vegas sports books.

But Wimbledon? Doesn't exactly reel in the whales. "Seriously, it's the nuts as an event," says Boston. "But who even knows when it's on?"

Here's another reason that helps explain why golf gets traction, something I call "The Bubbe Theory." My Bubbe is pushing 95 and has cataracts so bad that, to her, even the most crystalline Chicago day is mostly cloudy. But she still listens to the Cubs games, and she still calls me in a fit if she disagrees with something Rick Telander writes in the Chicago Sun Times. She's a sports fan. If she doesn't know you, you're just filling a niche. And niche players, even historically good ones like Roger and Raf, don't drive betting volume. Only the highest profile names attract square money, which inflates wagering totals like a shot of saline to the lips. Bubbe, and the public, loved Agassi, tennis' last cross-the-rubicon, mainstream draw. She also has a crush on Tiger. She's given me standing orders to put a sawbuck on the big cat whenever I walk through a sports book (or mistakenly tap into one via my Internet machine.) That explains why the Masters is getting $100K in action at some books while the four tennis majors might not get that combined this year.

This isn't a case of tennis being a difficult sport to bet. In fact, in Europe, it's probably the second most popular sport for gambling after soccer. Granted, as the WSJ football betting last week and The Mag's Shaun Assael examined in even greater depth last year, that might be because gamblers across the pond see it as an easy game to fix. But it could also be because, over there it holds the kind of sway the big two do over here.

Street corners in Spain are peppered with public courts and kids doing their best Raffy impressions. In some war torn parts of Eastern Europe poverty-stricken kids view tennis as an escape route, like football or basketball here. A couple years ago The Mag's Lindsay Berra wrote a great piece about Belgrade's Jelena Jankovic, Ana Ivanovic and Novak Djokovic. They learned the game as kids while bombs were raining down on their homeland. They practiced in drained swimming pools. Not exactly Nick Bolletierri conditions.

In the United States, casual fans think tennis is played four times a year. But on the tightly packed European continent, national interest in homegrown talent runs deep every weekend. Of the ATP's current top 20 players, only two, tennis betting and James Blake, are American. Fourteen are from Europe, representing six different countries.

No wonder fans from Lisbon to Bhudapest get jacked up for the net game, whether it's Wimbledon or a low-level tourney like the Estoril Open in Portugal (congrats to Spain's Albert Montanes for winning that one, btw). Chances are good that someone representing their flag will not only be playing, but have a shot at winning.

And that's all any bettor can ask for.

To visit this sports book go to MySportsbook.com for all your football betting needs.

Terrell Owens could return for Cowboys next game
A bye week will allow Terrell Owens broken hand to recover just in time for the next game the Dallas Cowboys are slated to play, according to reports. MySportsbook.com, an football sportsbook, has posted football betting lines on TO playing.

Owens broke the bone leading to his right ring finger Sunday night and had a plate surgically attached to it Monday. Although Owens' hand was swollen and aching Wednesday, Dallas Cowboys coach Bill Parcells said he's optimistic the receiver will be back at work next week and catching passes a week from Sunday against the Tennessee Titans.

MySportsbook.com online sportsbook listed Terrell Owens with odds of 7-2 (or $7 paid out for every $2 bet) to return back for the game against Tennessee.

"I certainly wouldn't rule it out now," Parcells said, referring to Terrell Owens immediate return. "Maybe five days from now I might, but I wouldn't rule it out now. ... I know we're looking to try to get him moving around pretty good in the next day or so. So we'll see where we are."

Owens did not speak with reporters Wednesday, but said Sunday he'd be out two to four weeks. A return against the Titans would be 13 days after the surgery. The Cowboys were listed as an early -7 1/2 favorite vs. the Tennessee Titans for Week 4 at MySportsbook.com

To visit this online sportsbook got to MySportsbook.com for all your Sportsbook accepts Mastercard needs.