(Before July 2005)
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Next Archive NFL Football Archives 2005 (July - Dec)
Below is a listing of articles appearing on Doc’s site sorted by date.
2005 NFL Season Predictions -- Season Wins Numbers Released By LV Hilton
by "Big D" - 05/24/2005
I can't tell you how happy I am to have the chance to write this article and give some 2005 NFL season predictions. I can't wait for the season to start, if for no other reason than it will finally give me a reason to use the regular season schedule that I printed out and laminated to hang on my wall a few weeks back...
Read more about 2005 NFL season predictions.
NFL Draft Grades
by Jeremy "Fasttalker" Bjornberg - 04/30/2005
Bills were without a first round pick due to the J.P. Losman deal last year. Their two first picks were Miami Hurricanes Roscoe Parrish and Kevin Everett. Parrish is nothing special as a receiver, but Everett has tons of potential as a pass catching tight end. None of the picks were great value picks. In fact, the rest will be lucky to make the team.
Read more about NFL Draft grades.
The Back Door Cover
by Max
The Super Bowl brought about a stern reminder that wagering on a football game truly is a gamble. Philadelphia played well in the first half and should have had the lead, but settled for a tie score at seven.
Read more about Super Bowl Recap.
Kornegay Again Tops In Props At LV Hilton
by Jeremy Martin
So you want to make a bet on the Super Bowl but you have the game handicapped at 28-21 in favor of New England. The side and total are too close to call but you have to have some action on the game. The $5 square pool you entered into at the office just isn't going to cut it.
Read more about Supper Bowl betting.
NFL Playoff Teasers
by Jeremy Martin
By the time the NFL playoffs take place in January, the oddsmakers have a fairly good read on the teams involved and, hence, the point spreads are going to be as strong -- or hard to beat -- as they are at any point during the season.
Read more about NFL Playoff Teasers.
Fourth and Inches - Bowl Issue
by Doc
Our NFL Game of the Year entered the win column, as Washington, a nine-point underdog, gave Philadelphia all they could handle.
Read more about Fourth and Inches - Bowl Issue.
Doc's Big Ten Report - Bowl Issue
by Max
The Bowl Season has approached and the Big Ten Conference will be a little light in the wallet since they were not able to fill all of their allotted bowls.
Read more about Doc's Big Ten Report - Bowl Issue.
From the Frontlines -- Line Shopping Made Easy
by Rob Gillespie
In last week's issue we talked about teasers. The Monday Night Football game was a good example of a game that was good for the house on teasers as it finished more than 7 points off the total and the spread.
Read more about sports books lines.
Fourth and Inches - Week 12
by Doc
The regular college football season is quickly coming to an end. What an exciting season it has been.
Read more about College Football News.
Fourth and Inches - Week 11
by Doc
Our two college 6-unit plays split this past weekend as we won with Purdue -5 over Ohio State, and lost with Minnesota -4? over Iowa.
Read more about College Football News.
From the Frontlines -- Teasers and Sweethearts
by Rob Gillespie
How many times have you lost a bet to a last-minute field goal, fumble or bad call? The extra 7 points you get with teasers suddenly looks very reassuring, doesn't it?
Read more about NFL teaser bets.
Fourth and Inches - Week 10
by Doc
Our Underdog Game of the Year entered the Winners column as expected, using Texas A&M plus 12 points, over Oklahoma.
Read more about College Football News.
From the Frontlines -- The Truth About Parlays
by Rob Gillespie
Parlay bets also known as a combo, a parlay bet is a selection of two or more wagering outcomes, in which the odds for the payouts increase with the number of teams (sides/totals) chosen; the more teams you choose to parlay, the better the payout. You can combine different sports, pointspreads and moneylines in win/loss and/or totals betting.
Read more about parlay bets.
Fourth and Inches - Week 9
by Doc
Our college football picks service continued the season without a losing Saturday as we posted 5 wins and 1 loss for the day this past weekend. Our selections were anchored mostly with underdogs as we had Illinois, Oklahoma State, Michigan State, Northwestern and Florida, all getting points.
Read more about College Football News.
Weather Factors in Handicapping
by Jeremy Martin
Mid to late November is when weather situations start to become an increased concern for the oddsmakers responsible for setting football lines. With winter quickly approaching, bookies must pay increased attention to weather reports for cities all across the country. Adverse weather can have serious effects on the outcome of a football game. Failing to recognize weather as a factor can have dire consequences for the sportsbooks.
Read more about Weather Factors.
Fourth and Inches - Week 8
by Doc
Our Big Ten Game of the Year came up short, as Iowa beat Penn State, 6-4. In talks with a defensive coach from Penn State, he assured me that they would keep this Hawkeye team under ten points.
Read more about College Football News.
From the Frontlines -- How Good Are Your Money Management Skills?
by Rob Gillespie
How do your money management skills stack up? Take Rob Gillespie's short quiz and find out.
Read more about Betting Tips.
Fourth and Inches - Week 7
by Doc
Our second college six-unit play of the year won as expected as Wisconsin, a 7-point underdog, beat Purdue straight up, 20-17.
Read more about College Football News.
Las Vegas Oddsmakers Key In On Motivational Factors
by Jeremy Martin
When oddsmakers put together a number for a college or pro football game, there are many factors that go into this point spread. Of course, all of the usual statistics, power rankings and strengths and weaknesses of the teams involved come into play. There are certain intangibles, however, that the oddsmakers can't assign an exact value to. These are motivational factors and history has proven that they can have major influence on the outcome of a game.
Read more about Motivational Factors.
Fourth and Inches - Week 6
by Doc
Our first six-unit play of the year came home as expected as Penn State, a 10-point underdog, gave Purdue all it could handle. In reality, the Nittany Lions had several opportunities to win this game straight up, only to falter when they got inside the 10-yard line.
Read more about College Football News.
From the Frontlines -- From the Gridiron to the Hardwood
by Rob Gillespie
It?s a Sunday afternoon and your favorite NFL team is playing. Your bets are in, your beer is cold, your friends are on their way over and your big-screen TV is good to go. Next week? Same time, same place. Different matchups perhaps, but you?ve pretty much got your Sundays booked from now until the Super Bowl.
Read more about Betting Tips.
Fourth and Inches - Week 5
by Doc
The roll continues as our selections service picked up another +16 units this past weekend. For the season we are now plus 60 units, showing a +$5,270.00 profit based on a $100 per unit play.
Read more about College Football News.
LVSC Interview On Football Injuries - Part Two
by Jeremy Martin
This week Doc's Sports' Jeremy Martin interviews Tony Sinisi, odds director for Las Vegas Sports Consultants, about the importance of injuries in college and pro football in regards to setting the betting lines.
Read more about NFL football injuries.
Fourth and Inches - Week 4
by Doc
Our College Game of the Year is now history as Arizona State, a 7?-point favorite, took care of business and beat Oregon State, 27-13. I must admit my heart stopped for a time as the Beavers took an early 7-0 lead.
Read more about College Football News.
From the Frontlines -- Props and Futures Betting Basics
by Rob Gillespie
Sometimes serious but always good fun, props are unusual betting opportunities that can add a new level of excitement to whatever it is that you?re watching, be it a major celebrity, sports or television event.
Read more about prop bets.
Fourth and Inches - Week 3
by Doc
The Big Ten Conference has always been known for 'smash-mouth' football - a strong defense with a powerful running game to back it up. But what about this year? Not so fast! Other than Minnesota and Purdue, the Big Ten offense in general may be the worst in several years.
Read more about College Football News.
LVSC Interview On Football Injuries - Part One
by Jeremy Martin
This week Doc's Sports' Jeremy Martin interviews Tony Sinisi, odds director for Las Vegas Sports Consultants, about the importance of injuries in college and pro football in regards to setting the betting lines.
Read more about NFL Injuries.
Fourth and Inches - Week 2
by Doc
Week two in college football is now history. Were there any big surprises? Indiana +20, winning straight up over ranked Oregon had to be the biggest.
Read more about College Football News.
"Three" a Crucial Number for NFL Bookies
by Jeremy Martin
When it comes to key numbers in the NFL, no number is more important than three. Historically, roughly one in six games in the pros falls on this number. Because of a variety of reasons, more games than ever before are landing on the number three.
Read more about 3 and NFL bookies.
Fourth and Inches - Week 1
by Doc
The first week of the 2004 College football season is now history. Each year the first and second week of the season always brings some big surprises. The biggest surprise of the first week this season has to be the Big Ten's eye-opening results. The conference was 9-2 straight up and 9-1 vs. the line.
Read more about College Football News.
Second Half Betting
by Jeremy Martin
For sports books in Nevada and overseas, NFL halftimes can be the most hectic 15 minutes of the week. The first halves of many games are ending at the same time, especially for the early games, and bookmakers are faced with the task of setting second half lines for all the games on the board and then managing their odds due to the action coming in.
Read more about Second Half Betting.
Teasers Gaining Popularity
by Jeremy Martin
Teasers have been a part of sports wagering for many years. A teaser bet involves taking two or more teams and adding a set amount of points to the line of each team selected. All of the teams parlayed in the teaser bet must cover the teaser line in order for the bettor to win and the odds are lower (worse for the bettor) than your typical 11/10 straight wager.
Read more about Betting Teasers.
NFL: Books Bank On Sunday and Monday Night Games
by Jeremy Martin
The NFL realized in the early 1970s that showcasing a game on Monday night to a national television audience would create a windfall of interest and permeate some demographics that might not be familiar with the league.
Read more about NFL sports betting.
Going Against Public Teams
by Jeremy Martin
When it comes to betting on NFL football, there is one constant, never-changing truth. The recreational or 'square' bettors like to take the favorite and the 'over.' This group makes up the biggest portion of the betting public and they are the ones that keep the sports books profitable.
Read more about NFL football betting.
Identifying Steam Moves
by Jeremy Martin
Following line moves is one of the keys to success in regards to betting on sports. The importance of monitoring these fluctuations of the point spread has become evident in recent years as most of the major sports betting portals have installed some kind of live odds screen for their site visitors.
Read more about line moves.
The Power of the Vig
by Jeremy Martin
In a perfect world, sportsbooks in Nevada and worldwide could take in a proportionate amount of money on each side of a football game without ever moving their line. This would guarantee bookmakers a 4.4 percent profit and it would eliminate the risk that is inherent with taking sports wagers. The profit on balanced action comes from the vig, or juice, that is charged on sports bets.
Read more about Vig.
First Half Betting
by Jeremy Martin
For most sportsbooks, first half betting makes up only a small portion of their weekly handle during football weekends. Just because the bettors aren't lining up in droves to wager on the first half of games, however, doesn't mean the oddsmakers can afford to skimp when it comes to setting lines for the first 30 minutes of a game.
Read more about first half betting.
NFL Opening Weekend = Big Business
by Jeremy Martin
Most NFL fans will agree -- the offseason can seem like an eternity. After the draft concludes in April, excitement slowly builds until it reaches the point of near hysteria for opening weekend. That enthusiasm translates into big business for the sports books. Opening weekend is consistently one of the top football weekends of the year for the bookies in terms of betting handle.
Read more about NFL odds.
Making Money with the MAC
by Max
The MAC has always been under appreciated in the college football world. But the conference has gained respect in recent years - especially with opposing coaches and athletic directors who have scheduled MAC teams for non-conference play.
Read more about Making Money with the MAC.
College Football Predictions
by Doc's Sports
UCLA won six games last year under first-year coach Karl Dorrell and expect an improved performance this year with Dorrell acquiring more of his own recruits. UCLA has a favorable home schedule and should start off the season 4-1 before they get into the meat of their schedule.
Read more about college football predictions.
2004 NFL Season Predictions
by Doc's Sports
Doc's Sports has some suggestions for NFL season totals for the 2004-05 season. All numbers come from the Imperial Palace in Las Vegas.
Read more about NFL 2004 season predictions.
2004 NFL Season Totals Popular With Recreational Bettors
by Jeremy Martin
While most bettors are familiar with NFL future pools, which involve picking a team to win their division, conference or even the Super Bowl, not everyone knows that they can also bet the 'over' or 'under' on the number of games a particular team will win over the course of its season.
Read more about NFL 2004 Predictions.
Kansas City Chiefs Preview
by Jeremy Martin
Can one man make a difference on an NFL football team? That's what Kansas City Chiefs faithful are hoping this season as former head coach and defensive coordinator Gunther Cunningham has returned to revamp a defense that was one of the worst in the NFL and help Coach Dick Vermeil earn another Super Bowl ring.
Read more about the 2004 Kansas City Chiefs.
College Football Recruiting
by Jeremy Martin
The following is an interview with Chuck Dekeado, a former Los Angeles business professional who served under legendary coach John McKay at the University of Southern California. Although he was never an official member of McKay?s staff and was never on the USC payroll, he used his contacts in the LA-area sports scene to help bring in many top recruits ? including O.J. Simpson ? and help the Trojans to three national championships.
Read more about the college football recruiting.
Arena Football: A Whole Different Ballgame
by Jeremy Martin
Ever since the Arena Football League's debut in 1987, it has been widely viewed with skepticism by most NFL fans and football bettors in general. The game is played indoors on a field that is 85-feet wide and 50-yards long. Players, who are often too small or too slow to make it into the NFL, are required to play on both sides of the ball. Punting is not allowed.
Read more about the Arena football betting.
IP 'Props' Itself Above Super Bowl Competition
by Jeremy Martin
When Jay Kornegay began his career at the Imperial Palace Race & Sportsbook in the late 1980s, Las Vegas books generally had a only a handful of Super Bowl 'props' on their board as novelties for their customers. But times have clearly changed, as props are now big business, often making or breaking a book for the big game.
Read more about the Imperial Palace Super Bowl Props.
A Betting Guide to the Super Bowl
by Doc's Sports
I am going to take a little different approach in this month's column. Rather than talking about one particular subject, I will cover a wide variety of issues as they relate to the upcoming Super Bowl, in an effort to give bettors all the information they need.
Read more about Super Bowl betting guide.
READY FOR FOOTBALL?
by Doc's Sports
For the past 31 years our main focus has been to provide winning picks and expert handicapping advice. In addition to reliable sports information, we have always taken great pride in our integrity and the respect we have gained within the industry itself. It seems each season there are more and more hustlers and high pressure salespeople trying to make that fast buck. It has become even more of a problem with the Internet, which has allowed almost anyone to build an image basically overnight and call themselves a handicapping expert.
Read more about football predictions.
The Bowl Season is Here
by Doc's Sports
The Bowl Season is here and as in past years we find some interesting match-ups. No matter how this all finishes up, the National Champion will have one loss. If Southern Cal beats Michigan, a true National Champion will not be crowned, as either LSU or Oklahoma will also have one loss.
Read more about Bowl preview.
Sportsbooks Get Into The Holiday Spirit
by Jeremy Martin
The holidays have always been a time of giving. And sportsbooks in Las Vegas and overseas also tend to get into the spirit during this time of year. Their gifts to bettors are points via weak lines. And these presents are anything but intentional. The sportsbooks are in business to make money, but they are so overwhelmed in November and December with the high volume of sports and games in the rotation, that it takes a Herculean effort by their staffs just to stay one step ahead of the bettors.
Read more about the swamped sportsbooks.
NFL Injuries
by Jeremy Martin
Handicappers and oddsmakers have very different opinions when it comes to the importance of injuries in the NFL. Some believe that this is one of the most crucial factors that goes into picking a game or setting a line, while others insist that the NFL is full of so many talented players that there isn't that big of a drop off in talent from first-string to second-string.
Read more about NFL Injuries.
Bettors Can Beat The Sportsooks By Studying 'Totals'
by Jeremy Martin
Weekend warriors make up a high percentage of the betting public. Whether they are betting at the ticket window on a leisure trip to Las Vegas or placing a wager online with an offshore sportsbook, they typically like to play sides. But the savvy bettor can increase the chances of winning by studying and playing the 'overs' and 'unders,' or 'totals.'
Read more about NFL Totals.
Shopping For Numbers Is Crucial
by Doc's Sports
When it comes to betting on sports - especially football - shopping around for the best number is one of the biggest factors in being successful and making a profit. While most inexperienced bettors have the notion that all sportsbooks offer the same numbers, this is far from the truth. Each sportsbook has its own agenda, and sets its numbers accordingly. This gives the bettor many opportunities to get an edge. An extra half point can make the difference between winning and losing a bet, especially in the NFL where the lines have become increasingly solid over the years.
Read more about shopping for numbers.
The "FIX"
by Doc's Sports
The "FIX" is in, or so they say. I have hear the word fix more in the past year, than in my entire lifetime. It all seemed to start with last years Wisconsin-UNLV game which took place here in Las Vegas. The Badgers opened a 3-point favorite, and bettors drove the number up to seven by kickoff.
Read more about Las Vegas Sportsbooks.
Oddsmakers 'Shade' Public Teams
by Jeremy Martin
Bettors are evidently just as fickle as the general public when it comes to college and pro football. When the St. Louis Rams made their remarkable rise to powerhouse status in the NFL a few years ago, 'fans' from all over the country began sporting Faulk and Warner jerseys - fresh from the shelves - that still had the fold creases showing on them.
Read more about oddsmakers and public betting teams.
Anatomy Of A Point Spread Betting Line
by Jeremy Martin
For the purpose of this article, we have decided to examine two games: Arizona at Purdue in the NCAA and Cleveland at San Francisco in the NFL. We spoke with three bookmakers: Bob Scucci from the Stardust sportsbook, Bert Osborne from Coast Resorts and Rob Gillespie from BoDog sportsbook to find out how they set their betting line and where it went through the week.
Read more about football betting lines.
No Longer a Tease
by Jeremy Martin
Sharp players have learned the art of betting NFL two-team teasers, and Las Vegas books have taken notice.
Read more about football teasers.
Looking Ahead Can Yield Positive Results
by Doc's Sports
There are many aspects to successful handicapping and bettors are always looking for that perfect formula. When doing research, many people focus on injuries and evaluate talent while dissecting the line to find weakness in the bookmakers number. Although all these factors are very important, I have had a tremendous amount of success using the "look ahead" theory. This theory involves looking two or three weeks into the schedule and finding a team who is really vulnerable to get beat because of a flat spot or a complete opposite where a team will be highly motivated to get a big win.
Read more about Looking Ahead.