One of the greatest tradition in international sport is a full slate of EPL games on Boxing Day.  What better way to bring in the holiday than with our UK Insider James Kempton for game capsules on every fixture.  You can listen to his podcast here Chelsea v West Ham United Chelsea -1.5 and 2.75 goals The Hammers have not scored in the last three meetings of the teams but they are currently in great form. Jose will want revenge for last years goalless draw where he accused West Ham of dour tactics.  I see Chelsea winning this game but can’t trust them to cover the handicap line and the goal line also looks a tricky proposition. Pass for me here. Burnley v Liverpool Liverpool -0.5 and 2.5 goals A rousing performance and finale at the weekend by the Reds should see them priced shorter than they should be come kick off. Who can trust this lightweight Liverpool team on the road against a team of fighters like Burnley? Not me for sure as it’s the home dog or pass but I do sense the line trending towards 0.75 by gameday so dog bettors may be best served to wait it out. Crystal Palace v Southampton Southampton -0.25 and 2.25 goals Palace were passed to death by City at the weekend and it’s not set to get much easier here. Southampton won both meetings of the sides to nil last season and this season they seem even better defensively. At the weekend the Saints comfortably beat Everton and I do not see them losing this game. Holiday games do bring a special atmosphere to grounds so I won’t be taking Palace on but the over 2.25 goals do offer some appeal to me. Everton...

Week 17 is here and what a long, strange trip it’s been.  Not only for the NFL but the evolution of Season 1 for the Bet the Board podcast.  Before we get into business for the week, I want to thank all the loyal listeners that have made this a huge success.  Your feedback, questions, and support really makes Payne and myself enjoy doing this as a labor of love.  Let’s hope as we close out 2014 we do it with a bang before rolling in 2015 on the right foot. Various Playoff Scenarios QB Changes as of recording: Bears: Clausen OUT, Cutler expected to start Browns: Manziel OUT, Hoyer “?”, Connor Shaw could start Cardinals: Thomas expected to start  ...

The holiday gift that keeps on giving; James Kempton is back with his complete analysis for the pre Boxing day fixtures from across the pond. Remember you can always catch his weekly EPL podcast by clicking here as well. Manchester City v Crystal Palace Manchester City -1.5 and 2.75 goals City smell blood in the water and with Chelsea having a tricky road game at Stoke, they could pull even closer to the top of the table by the close of business. This is a game where I do not see anything other than a home win so even with a handicap of -1.5  I see a comfortable cover. Aston Villa v Manchester United Manchester United -0.75 and 2.5 goals Villa were unlucky last week when they played seventy minutes of their derby game at West Brom with just ten men. They lost narrowly 1-0 and their luck appears out as next up they host this red hot United side. A tighter defensive line for United in recent games makes me more likely to side with them here, especially as the line has ticked down from -1 to just -0.75 on the Reds. Hull City v Swansea City Hull City +0.25 and 2.25 goals Hull are in freefall and they need a win quickly to restore some belief in the squad as they enter this heavy festive period. The Swans lost late against Spurs last weekend and they are a much different side away from Wales.  Having said that, in Wilfred Bony they have a genuine goal threat who could strike at any minute whereas the home side have very little offensive punch. If the line shifts to a Pick (which it may do come gameday) then I like the Swans and I also...

Call it a holiday gift, miracle of lights, or something of the sorts…but you guys get the best of the pod without me for the early bowls!  The rest of the crew brought their A game as they always seem to do when the stakes are the highest.  Gamblin, drinkin, banterin: what better way to spend the holidays when the family tests your patience.  Enjoy the 1st bowl installment and as our host says, let’s find some winners. Widget not appearing? Click here to listen to the call directly or follow the links below Listen below, listen on  iTunes (where you should totally subscribe and tell others to subscribe) or listen on your Android device. Wherever you listen, we hope you enjoy....

It’s sad to think this is the penultimate Thursday podcast of the regular season.  What a game tonight too as we delved way too far into Titans vs Jags to start the week off right.  Great questions submitted from listeners this week as far as managing bankroll and power rating adjustments late in the year.  Rather than me writing about it, tune in and give the pod a listen. Subscribe on itunes Subscribe to the RSS sound cloud...

Last week I tweeted out a picture of MLB future odds available at the South Point Hotel and Casino (since tweeting the picture they’ve moved their odds considerably). Before I get into my more extended thoughts on the topic, I want to say that I unfairly singled out their race and sports book for offering a price on the Cubs to win the World Series that bordered on absolutely ridiculous. They aren’t the only shop in town with a number so low on the loveable losers that even Ronnie Woo Woo wouldn’t bet into after 100+ years of futility. However my thesis here isn’t to single out one specific book but rather share my own personal experiences at Caesars as a microcosm of a dangerous practice plaguing our industry in Vegas. To anyone familiar with what the once iconic book at Caesars Palace (and the rest of the Caesars entertainment family) has become, this will come as no surprise: they don’t make it a priority to take big bets in the race and sports book. During my stint with the company, I spent time actively working to make our futures prices across all sports fair and competitive. However this task became exceedingly difficult operating under a stern initiative to keep theoretical hold at a minimum of 40%. To those unfamiliar with the terminology, this means that the market is created to keep $40 of every $100 wagered.  The goal is to create a “greenhouse” with perfect equilibrium; an environment that invites the right amount of dollars on every team allowing the house to profit regardless of a heavy favorite or prohibitive longshot winning the title.  The sharpest bookmakers use their opinions both before and during the season to shade the market accordingly, creating a...

In a game that changes by the minute it’s amazing what goes down in a few short hours regarding major injuries…since recording the podcast earlier today: – Jake Locker on season ending IR, Charlie Whitehurst will start Thursday for the Titans – Tom Savage has been ruled out for the Texans, team resigned Case Keenum Without further fanfare here’s your Monday edition..sure to change by Thursday. Subscribe on itunes Subscribe to the RSS sound cloud...

It’s the time of year where the playoff field officially gets thinned out.  Futures market value becomes tougher to identify headed into the twilight of the NFL regular season but there’s still potential for the opportunistic sports bettor to make a big score.  Amazing to think that the Patriots price currently at 5-2 fell all the way to 14-1 after being throttled by Kansas City on Monday night earlier this fall.  New England and Seattle are now Superbowl favorites in their respective conferences however there are still 21 teams mathematically alive to take home the Lombardi trophy.  Here’s a snapshot of how team’s prices looked in early September compared to where they’re at as of this morning at the Westgate Superbook. Team Preseason Current Patriots 7-1 5-2 Seahawks 4-1 3-1 Packers 12-1 9-2 Broncos 5-1 5-1 Cowboys 75-1 12-1 Cardinals 50-1 16-1 Colts 22-1 16-1 Lions 40-1 20-1 Eagles 25-1 25-1 Steelers 22-1 30-1 Ravens 25-1 30-1 Bengals 22-1 30-1 Saints 7-1 50-1 Panthers 60-1 60-1 Chiefs 50-1 80-1 Falcons 60-1 100-1 Chargers 25-1 100-1 Bills 60-1 200-1 Texans 35-1 500-1 Dolphins 50-1 500-1 Browns 100-1...

NFL WEEK 16 THURSDAY, DECEMBER 18, 2014 TITANS JAGUARS -2 SATURDAY, DECEMBER 20, 2014 CHARGERS 49ERS -2.5 -120 EAGLES -8.5 REDSKINS SUNDAY, DECEMBER 21, 2014 VIKINGS DOLPHINS -7 PACKERS -10.5 BUCS LIONS -4.5 BEARS FALCONS SAINTS -7 PATRIOTS -10 JETS CHIEFS STEELERS -3 -120 BROWNS PANTHERS xxxx RAVENS TEXANS -1 GIANTS RAMS -5.5 BILLS -4.5 RAIDERS COLTS COWBOYS PK SEAHAWKS -6.5 CARDINALS MONDAY, DECEMBER 22, 2014 BRONCOS -4...

The weekly staple in your football handicapping, every game and every angle for the entire slate of fixtures from James Kempton. Be sure to listen to his podcast as well Burnley v Southampton Southampton -0.75 and Total Goals 2.5 All week I’ve heard the same: ‘The bubble has burst at Southampton’ nonsense. They have been beaten by three of the elite teams and two of those were unfortunate narrow defeats. On a -0.75 line though I have to favour the home side Burnley who have finally got adjusted to life at this level. Chelsea v Hull City Chelsea -2 and Total Goals 3 That defeat at Newcastle could see a backlash from Chelsea here against a woeful and toothless Hull side. Give me Chelsea -2 as I see a push as a worst case scenario. On the goal line I’d take an overs ticket coupled with a 2-0 home win correct score line as a bit of protection. Crystal Palace v Stoke City Palace PK (-125) and Total Goals O2.25 Both sides had excellent results last time out and this is a tough game to call. Usually when the lower sides meet it normally pays to side with the home team to avoid defeat. Stoke are in good form though so I’m going to swerve this game completely as even the goal market looks a mystery to me. Leicester City v Manchester City Manchester City -1.25 and Total Goals 3 The away side City are just at a different footballing level to their hosts. Leicester will be encouraged forward by their raucous home crowd leaving them open to the counter attack. It will only be for small stakes at this market price but the away win is the side to be on. A line...

Thirsty Thursday brings you another installment of the Bet the Board Podcast.  Unfortunately we didn’t have a chance to get to any of your questions this week but did cover every single game on the board in some detail.  As always the Thursday night breakdown comes at the very end of the pod and we discuss the value in not only beating the market but willingness to lay some juice in the process. Subscribe on itunes Subscribe to the RSS sound cloud...

The season continues to wind down as bowl season looms.  The OTL gang decided it was time to add an additional podcast this holiday season, call it a bowl primer highlighting the biggest games along with a few of the second tier matchups we found intriguing.  Don’t worry, we’ll be back with 2 more (maybe 3) comprehensive podcasts with individual game breakdowns.  Settle in and enjoy, going to be a fun final month of the season. Widget not appearing? Click here to listen to the call directly or follow the links below Listen below, listen on  iTunes (where you should totally subscribe and tell others to subscribe) or listen on your Android device. Wherever you listen, we hope you enjoy....