Ranked foes meet in Big Ten battle

NCAA Basketball Betting Lines

02/09/2010 - East Lansing, MI (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The 10th-ranked Michigan State Spartans will try to keep their slim hold on the top spot in the Big Ten tonight, as they host the sixth-ranked Purdue Boilermakers at Mackey Arena.

After opening their Big Ten slate with nine consecutive wins, MSU was in complete control and on its ways to a second straight Big Ten regular-season crown. However, the Spartans were defeated in both of their outings last week, including a 78-73 setback at Illinois on Saturday, and are now only one game up in the standings. MSU is still a healthy 19-5 overall, including a perfect 13-0 at home, but there is no longer any margin for error.

One of the teams nipping at the heels of MSU is Purdue, which is 7-3 in conference play. Since losing three straight, the Boilermakers have run off five wins in a row, including a 78-75 besting of Indiana on Thursday. Purdue is now a hardy 19-3 overall and is on its way to a fourth straight 20-win campaign.

Purdue leads the all-time series with MSU, 62-44, and has taken three of the past five meetings, although the Boilermakers haven't won in East Lansing since 1998.

The Boilermakers knocked down 46.4 percent of their attempts from the floor and 20-of-28 at the foul line, as they slipped past Indiana last week. Robbie Hummel and JaJuan Johnson each scored 21 points in the win and they combined for 16 rebounds and a 16-of-21 showing at the foul line. E'Twaun Moore tacked on 14 points, as he remains the team's leading scorer on the season, averaging 17.2 ppg. Hummel adds 16.5 ppg and a team-best 7.2 rpg to the mix, while Johnson contributes 14.4 ppg and 6.9 rpg.

The Spartans shot a sound 54.7 percent from the floor, but that still wasn't enough to overcome 18 turnovers in an 78-73 loss at Illinois on Saturday. Draymond Green paced the team in defeat with a double-double of 17 points and 16 rebounds, while Chris Allen had 15 points. The Spartans played their second straight game without Kalin Lucas, as he continues to nurse a sprained right ankle. Lucas, the reigning Big Ten Player of the Year, leads the team in both scoring (15.6 ppg) and assists (4.0 apg), but is listed as questionable for tonight. Durrell Summers and Raymar Morgan are both tied for second in scoring at 10.8 ppg and they are also combining for 10.6 rpg. Green, a jack-of-all- trades, adds 10.5 ppg to go along with 3.0 apg and a team-high 8.3 rpg.

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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.

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