Zambrano rejoins Cubs

Baseball Betting Lines

07/30/2010 - Denver, CO (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Chicago Cubs have reinstated pitcher Carlos Zambrano from the restricted list prior to Friday's road game against the Rockies.

The right-hander's placement on the restricted list stemmed from a dugout incident at U.S. Cellular Field on June 25.

After allowing four runs to the White Sox in the first inning of an eventual 6-0 loss, a visibly upset Zambrano was caught on camera screaming at his teammates and got into a heated exchange with first baseman Derrek Lee.

Zambrano began the season in the starting rotation before being shifted to the bullpen in late April. His outburst came in his fifth start since being reinserted into rotation.

For the season, he has compiled a 3-6 record and has pitched to a 5.66 earned- run average in 22 games (nine starts).

To make room for Zambrano, the Cubs granted reliever Bob Howry his unconditional release. The right-hander was 0-3 with a 5.66 ERA in 24 appearances for Chicago after joining the club in May.

Wagersport Baseball Betting News

<< Steelers agree to five-year deal with Pouncey
Latrobe, PA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Pittsburgh Steelers have agreed to terms on a five-year deal with first round draft choice Maurkice Pouncey. He is expected to be with the team for its' first official practice on Saturday. Financia

<< A's activate Anderson, disable Bailey
Chicago, IL (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Oakland Athletics made several moves on Friday, among them reinstating pitcher Brett Anderson from the 15-day disabled list and placing pitcher Andrew Bailey on the 15-day DL, retroactive to July 21.

<< Fisher flirts with 59, takes Irish Open lead
Killarney, Ireland (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Ross Fisher fired a 10-under 61 on Friday to grab sole possession of first place after the second round of the Irish Open. Fisher finished 36 holes at 12-under 130 and is three strokes cl

<< Vikings come to terms with RB Gerhart
Minneapolis, MN (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Minnesota Vikings have reportedly signed running back Toby Gerhart. The Star Tribune revealed Friday that Gerhart, the 51st overall draft pick back in April, was given a four-year, $3.767 mill

<< German midfielder Khedira joins Real Madrid
Madrid, Spain (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Real Madrid agreed to a transfer for Germany midfielder Sami Khedira from Stuttgart on Friday. The 23-year-old will sign a five-year contract after undergoing a physical in Madrid. Khedira emerged in the re

Redskins' Haynesworth held out of practice again >>
Ashburn, VA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Washington Redskins defensive tackle Albert Haynesworth was held out of practice for a second straight day Friday after again failing to pass his conditioning test. Haynesworth was held out of the R

Senators re-sign D Campoli >>
Ottawa, ON (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Ottawa Senators have re-signed defenseman Chris Campoli to a one-year contract, the team announced Friday. Campoli, 25, appeared in 67 games for the Senators last season, collecting four goals and 18

Hat Trick: Jets bring back Coles for third time >>
Florham Park, NJ (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The New York Jets and wideout Laveranues Coles have renewed relations. The Jets' Twitter page on Friday revealed the signing, and while terms have yet to be released, the New York Post repo

Cowboys' WR Bryant injured >>
San Antonio, TX (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Dallas Cowboys rookie wide receiver Dez Bryant suffered an apparent right ankle injury during Friday's practice. Bryant was helped off the field after colliding with a defender toward the end of the se

Twins send P Blackburn to minors, place INF Punto on DL >>
Minneapolis, MN (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Minnesota Twins demoted pitcher Nick Blackburn to Triple-A Rochester on Friday to make room for newly acquired reliever Matt Capps. Blackburn, who received a four-year, $14 million contract la

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.

MySportsbook.com - The World's Leading Online Sportsbook

For more than 11 years now, MySportsbook.com has been the World’s BEST online sports book website, providing a safe and secure place for sports wagering. Our world-class level of experience and industry sportsbook expertise is unmatched.

Offering a wide array of sports to wager on, MySportsbook.com leaves no stone unturned in our search to provide you with great football betting lines and online blackjack options. From teasers to parlays, from futures to wacky propositions, we add more game excitement than any other sportsbook. Fully licensed in two gaming jurisdictions, MySportsbook.com is open and eager to assist you 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Whatever the sporting event, this online sportsbook has you covered. Enjoy some of sport’s most memorable moments that much more with MySportsbook.com. With increased interest, follow the game-winning field goal, the walk-off homerun, the buzzer-beater or the hole-in-one shot. Bank on that clutch glove save, the upset TKO or an incredible Hail Mary pass. MySportsbook.com quenches your thirst for action.

To visit this online blackjack got to MySportsbook.com for all your Sportsbook accepts credit cards needs.