Miscellaneous Articles

World Cup Odds and Picks: Honduras vs. Switzerland Predictions
by Alan Matthews - 6/24/2010

Both Switzerland and Honduras enter Friday’s Group H match off a loss, but the Swiss still have a real chance to advance with a victory here and Spain beating Chile by enough goals. If that occurred then Switzerland, Spain and Chile would all tie atop the group with six points if the former two win Friday.

World Cup Odds and Picks: Chile Vs. Spain Predictions
by Alan Matthews - 6/24/2010

Spain advances with a win, a tie and Swiss loss, or tie or a loss to Chile and Honduras win but keep the goal differential over those two countries (Spain is +1 on the Swiss and +4 on Honduras). The Spanish, the defending European champs, have to be feeling better about themselves after being stunned by Switzerland in the opener but then beating Honduras 2-0.

World Cup Odds and Picks: Japan Vs. Denmark Predictions
by T.O. Whenham - 6/24/2010

Both of these teams have a win over Cameroon and a loss to Netherlands in their first two contests. Though they have the same records, tie breaking rules give Japan the advantage here - they only need a draw to advance to the second round, while Denmark needs a win. Surprisingly, this is the only game in the third round of round robin action, which is a virtual playoff with a playoff spot for the winner, and nothing but heartbreak for the loser.

World Cup Odds and Picks: Italy Vs. Slovakia Predictions
by T.O. Whenham - 6/24/2010

It's not that surprising that the contest between Italy and Slovakia has implications for the playoff future of Group F. The surprise is that Italy, the defending World Cup champions, are playing for their lives in what should have been a fairly easy group for them. Slovakia needs a win and some help from Paraguay to advance beyond the group stage. Italy has a slightly easier path - a win guarantees them continued life, and a tie would be okay as well as long as New Zealand loses or scores fewer goals than Italy while also playing to a draw.

World Cup Odds and Picks: Cameroon Vs. Netherlands Predictions
by T.O. Whenham - 6/24/2010

Unfortunately, that script hasn't been followed at all. The Dutch have done their part with two wins, and are guaranteed of a spot in the second round. Cameroon has already lost twice, though, and is eliminated from the next round regardless of what they do here. In fact, they were the first team to be eliminated from the tournament. In other words, this game is essentially meaningless.

World Cup Odds and Picks: United States Vs. Algeria Predictions
by Nicholas Tolomeo - 6/23/2010

Which side takes the pitch against Algeria on Wednesday at 10 a.m. EST at Loftus Versfeld Stadium is anyone’s guess, including coach Bob Bradley who has been on the sideline for the 180-plus minute roller coaster ride that has been the United States 2010 World Cup Tournament thus far.

World Cup Odds and Picks: England Vs. Slovenia Predictions
by Nicholas Tolomeo - 6/23/2010

The last thing Group C favorite England expected to be doing before its third game of the World Cup is contemplating tiebreaking scenarios. But after another stunning draw against an underdog, the Three Lions and their supporters are fully aware that anything short of a win against an all-of-a-sudden daunting Slovenia side will mean England could be in store for one of the most disappointing World Cup performances for a country with a history of underachieving.

World Cup Odds and Picks: Germany Vs. Ghana Predictions
by Nicholas Tolomeo - 6/23/2010

But just five days later the Group D favorites and 2006 semifinalist fell to the wayside like so many other perennial powers with a surprising 1-0 loss to Serbia. It was the German’s first group stage loss since 1986. Now you can count Germany along with England, France, Italy and Spain as countries finding themselves in unusual positions.

World Cup Odds and Picks: Serbia Vs. Australia Predictions
by Nicholas Tolomeo - 6/23/2010

It is currently Ghana on top of Group D with four points ahead of Germany and Serbia (3 points each) and Australia with its one point. This could be one of the more exciting World Cup games because of the situations each country finds itself in. A draw between the two sides could potentially send them both packing so a quickened pace and visible sense of urgency can be expected.

World Cup Odds and Picks: Uruguay Vs. Mexico Predictions
by Jordan Adams - 6/22/2010

The best two players from Group A will be on the field in Uruguay’s Diego Forlan and Mexico’s Giovanni Dos Santos. Forlan has been a stoic leader for his side and his play has been just as stellar. Santos, who’s pace and playmaking abilities makes him one of the world’s brightest young talents, might have to shoulder more of the load with his youthful partner Carlos Vela quite possibly out after leaving the France match with an apparent hamstring injury.

World Cup Odds and Picks: South Korea Vs. Nigeria Predictions
by Jordan Adams - 6/22/2010

Still, if you told the Koreans they’d had their own destiny in their hands with regards to the knockout stages, you better believe they would take it. Group B was always unclear from the start, not really having a legit second team emerge. South Korea can pencil their name in with a draw or victory (barring Greece doesn’t shock Argentina).

World Cup Odds and Picks: Argentina Vs. Greece Predictions
by Jordan Adams - 6/22/2010

The Greeks are fairly monotonous in their style and they make no attempt to hide their defensive nature. A big, physical backline and a very systematic approach that tends to dumb the game down to their liking. But you can’t sit back for 90 minutes against a side as brilliant as Argentina – not unless you prefer to be taken out back to the shed.

World Cup In-Game And In-Play Betting
by Sports Interaction - 6/19/2010

Soccer is the global game with an enormous appeal all over the world, but a lot of people still don’t like it because of the low scoring and ties. But Sports Interaction believes betting during the game is drawing people in and exposing people to a whole new world of betting during the game’s showpiece tournament in South Africa.

World Cup Odds and Picks: Brazil Vs. Ivory Coast Predictions
by Alan Matthews - 6/19/2010

The Group of Death (G) opens second-round group stage play with another terrific matchup on Sunday between Brazil and the Ivory Coast. The match will be at 2:30 p.m. Eastern and shown on ABC and is one of the most influential both in this group, and in the World Cup spectrum.

World Cup Odds and Picks: Chile vs. Switzerland Predictions
by Alan Matthews - 6/19/2010

The story of the World Cup thus far – other than an astounding lack of goals and nearly every total going under – is Switzerland’s stunning upset of Spain in the opening round of the group stage. How stunning was it? Spain was a -500 favorite (Swiss at +1200) and entered the game on a 12-game winning streak - they also had not lost to Switzerland in 18 meetings - and the defeat was just the team's second in 50 games. (The other coming to the U.S. in the 2009 Confederations Cup.)

NASCAR: Toyota/Save Mart 350 Odds and Predictions
by Christopher Shepard - 6/18/2010

Joe Gibbs Racing’s Denny Hamlin, who won his fifth Sprint Cup race this year by dominating at Michigan, last week, will attempt a three-peat at Infineon Raceway in Sonoma, California as NASCAR heads out to wine country for the first road course race of the season this Sunday.

World Cup Odds and Picks: Slovenia Vs. USA Predictions
by Nicholas Tolomeo - 6/17/2010

Here in the United States the match against England was billed as the biggest game in the history of the men’s soccer team. That was a bit of overstatement considering the outcome of that game hardly mattered as long as the United States took care of business in its second and third game of the group stage. The first of these more winnable games is at 10 a.m. on Friday, June 18 in Johannesburg when the United States takes on Slovenia.

World Cup Odds and Picks: Netherlands Vs. Japan Predictions
by T.O. Whenham - 6/17/2010

Two results - one expected and one a surprise - means that this game between Netherlands and Japan will likely determine the winner of Group E. At the very least, the winner of this game will be moving on to the second round. Netherlands was supposed to beat Denmark and they did, though they didn't earn style points doing so. Japan upset home continent favorites Cameroon and earned their first World Cup win away from home in the process.

World Cup Odds and Picks: Cameroon Vs. Denmark Predictions
by T.O. Whenham - 6/17/2010

One thing that makes a soccer game, or any sporting event for that matter, more interesting is when the teams involved are desperate. This game should be a classic, then, because it just oozes desperation. Both teams are coming off of humbling, frustrating losses in their first games of the World Cup, and a second loss for either team will likely mean the end of their already very slim championship dreams. On the other hand, a win doesn't guarantee anything, but it makes the final game of the round robin particularly meaningful.

World Cup Odds and Picks: England Vs. Algeria Predictions
by Nicholas Tolomeo - 6/16/2010

Both England and Algeria enter the game with an extreme sense of urgency. With only three group games every one has a sense of urgency in the group stage but after the results of these two countries in their first game this game surely has all the makings of an elimination game. Thankfully for England, it enters the game as one of the biggest favorites in the first round. As unexpected as the 1-1 tie against the United States was anything short of a win by the Three Lions will be looked upon as a stunner.