Get in the Game - with Nigel Ridgway of bet365 *US Edition*
Nigel Ridgway
NBA
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Minnesota may have been the victim of some inconsistent refereeing in their match against Denver at the Pepsi Center on Wednesday night, but they also got careless with the ball (21 turnovers) and too often stood at one end of the court arguing with the refs while the Nuggets sprinted past them for easy baskets (30 fast break points). Instead of looking like a team ready to challenge Sacramento for the best record in the Western Conference, the Wolves 'melted down' for a 101-92 loss, cutting their lead over San An in the Midwest division to 2 ½ games. Their schedule doesn't get any easier with a road trip to Los Angeles on Friday night! The Mavericks are still capable of putting together some kind of play-off run, but need to improve their road record if they are to beat the Magic on Sunday afternoon.
MIN TWolves @ LA Lakers
Fr Mar 26 - 10:30 pm EST (ESPN)
Mar 27 - 03:30 GMT
DAL Mavericks @ ORL Magic
Sa Mar 27 - 1:30 pm EST (ABC)
Mar 27 - 18:30 GMT
bet365 Western Conference prices... Lakers 6/5, Kings 2/1, Timberwolves 4/1, Spurs 6/1, others on site.
NCAA
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The last four places in the Elite 8 will be filled on Saturday night, as Texas deals with 'Cinderella' side Xavier, and number one seed Duke, battle it out with Illinois in the Atlanta Regionals.
bet365 Atlanta Regional prices... Duke 4/6, Texas 7/2, Xavier 5/1, Illinois 13/2.
bet365 NCAA Championship Outright prices... Duke 11/4, Connecticut 7/2, Oklahoma St 6/1, Pittsburgh 6/1, others on site.
Bet the following games IN-RUNNING this weekend, where our markets will include Point Spread; Game Total; and Who Will Win the Quarter:
Xavier vs Texas
Fr Mar 26 - 7:25 pm EST (CBS)
Mar 27 - 00:25 GMT
Illinois vs Duke
Fr Mar 26 - 9:55 pm EST (CBS)
Mar 27 - 02:55 GMT
NBA/NCAA Parlay Bonus
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As College Basketball heats up for the drive to the Big Dance, we have extended our popular NFL Parlay Bonus to the hoops. bet365 is paying out the following bonuses on parlay wagers including NCAA and NBA matches, right through to the NCAA Championship game on April 5th:
2-team parlay 5%
3-team parlay 7.5%
4-team parlay 10%
5-team parlay 15%
6-team parlay 20%
7-team parlay 25%
8-team parlay 30%
9-team parlay 35%
10-team parlay 40%
11-team parlay 45%
Have a winning 12, 13, or 14 team parlay - and receive a massive 50% bonus!
Bonus applies to winnings on NCAA and NBA 2- 14 team parlays on the following six markets:
Game Point Spread; Game Total; First Half Spread; Second Half Spread; First Half Total; Second Half Total.
NHL
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Few would argue that the best games in the NHL right now are the Detroit - Colorado clashes, whether it's in the regular season or the playoffs. The evolving rivalry steps back to the forefront this week, when the teams meet on Thursday night and again on Saturday afternoon in Detroit. Both games will have a play-off feel as the Avalanche attempt to snap out of its current doldrums and secure at least the No. 2 seed in the Western Conference, and a 10th straight division championship for the franchise. Significantly, Colorado has been only 6-9-3-1 since Valentines Day, including a 2-2 tie with lowly Chicago at home on Tuesday. They are now five points behind the Wings and tied with Pacific Division leader San Jose for the second seed in the west. In another quality match-up, Markus Nasland and the Canucks will need to keep their momentum going onto the play-offs against Marty Turco and the Stars on Saturday night.
Join us for live betting on both these games, where our markets will include: Puck Line; Game Total; Next Goal Scored; Most Shots on Goal; Who Will Win the Period; and Next Period Total:
COL Avalanche @ DET Redwings
Sa Mar 27 - 1:30 pm EST (ABC)
Mar 27 - 18:30 GMT
DAL Stars @ VAN Canucks
Sa Mar 27 - 10:00 pm EST (CBC)
Mar 28 - 03:00 GMT / 04:00 BST
bet365 Stanley Cup prices... Wings 4/1, Avalanche 9/2, Senators 7/1, Maple Leafs 7/1, others on site.
MLB
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MON Expos vs HOU Astros
Fr Mar 26 1:05 pm EST (ESPN2)
Mar 26 - 18:05 GMT
Grapefruit League action as the Expos and the Astros shake off some of the rust in Kissimee FL. Bet the 'Money Line' IN-RUNNING with us on this game.
The Players Championship, Sawgrass starts Thursday
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Th Mar 25 - 12:00-6:00 pm EST (ESPN)
Fr Mar 26 - 12:00-6:00 pm EST (ESPN)
Sa Mar 27 - 2:00-6:00 pm EST (ESPN)
Su Mar 28 - 1:30-6:30 pm EST (ESPN)
Having a bet on this week's Players Championship, widely regarded as golf's fifth Major, is not for the faint hearted! This is the one where the crowds gather around the treacherous 17th island green waiting for accidents to happen … and if the wind gets up you can expect many a would be Champion to perish in a watery grave! Your money is never safe until your player has survived that hole and the even tougher 18th. Last year's winner, Davis Love put in a flawless last round of 64, showing that there are birdies to be made providing you are 'on your game'. He is likely to put up a spirited defence this week, but with nagging doubts about his fitness, and with question marks over the majority of the market leaders - Tiger in particular looks out of sorts at the moment - it may pay to bet on someone to steal up on the outside for a big priced victory. Last week's Bay Hill winner Chad Campbell was sixth on his Sawgrass debut last season, and providing he can handle the media attention that is likely to follow him this week he will go close. Scott Verplank may have struggled with this course in his first few attempts but looks to be getting the hang of it now judged on last year's eighth, and comes here on the back of two excellent weeks on the Tour. He could easily make the frame this week, along with the massively talented Adam Scott - 17th last year on his Sawgrass debut.
bet365 pre-tournament prices... Woods 5/1, Singh 14/1, Love 14/1, Els 14/1, Campbell 18/1, Verplank 33/1, Scott 40/1. Bet this tournament IN-RUNNING subject to TV coverage.
Dubai World Cup Saturday, March 27 - 12:20 pm EST (17.20 GMT)
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Trainer Richard Mandella, who has been second three times, third once and fourth twice with his six World Cup runners, will be hoping the seven draw is lucky this time for his Pleasantly Perfect in Saturday's Dubai World Cup. He will prefer to rely on the horses improving trackwork, following a missed prep race on March 6th because of a temperature, as he bids to increase his winning run to four by repeating his Breeders Cup Classic success over Medaglio d'Oro. The latter has picked up an outside berth in eleven, and is expected to be ridden close to the pace by jockey Jerry Bailey, who has a great World Cup record with four wins in eight years! Connections of Admire Don, the best of the three Japanese runners on official ratings, were delighted to have drawn stall three.
bet365 prices... Medaglio d'Oro 2/1, Pleasantly Perfect 9/4, Victory Moon 7/2, Admire Don 8/1, others on site.
NASCAR Food City 500
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Su Mar 28 - 1:00 pm EST (Fox)
Mar 28 - 18:00 GMT / 19.00 BST
Sunday's race is held on the Bristol Motor Speedway, Tennessee, a mere .533 miles round and with some of the highest banking on the circuit at 36 degrees. Since the straightaways are only 650 feet long the drivers are constantly braking, turning and accelerating which makes for a demanding test for any driver. The key to passing at Bristol is to be at the bottom in the turns and getting a good run off the corners, a fact not lost on driver Ricky Rudd who has had four top fives and seven top tens here in the last six years. He could make the frame this week at a big price! It is pretty safe to assume that if Jamie McMurray finishes the race he will do alright. He has picked up two top fives in the three races he has finished this season, and in last year's race was one of the cars caught on pit road by a late-race caution causing him to go a lap down and finish 11th!
bet365 prices... Busch 13/2, Gordon 8/1, Kenseth 9/1, McMurray 16/1, Ricky Rudd 40/1, others on site.
Be lucky!
Nigel.
Please be aware that prices are subject to change. All times EST (unless otherwise noted) and are subject to change. Check local listings.
NIGEL RIDGWAY, an experienced punter and betting shop owner of many years, believes that "The key to successful gambling is getting value for money." Nigel was once forced by local bookmakers, to stop writing a tipping column in a UK newspaper, because he was costing them a fortune. Find out what offers and lines are hot at bet365.com.
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