Get in the Game - with Nigel Ridgway of bet365 *US Edition*
Nigel Ridgway
Sign up with bet365.com and get up to $200 in free bonus money.
NBA Playoffs
Despite spending most of the last three days in a Colorado courtroom, Kobe
Bryant lifted the Lakers to a 97-78 win over the Houston Rockets on
Wednesday night to take the first-round series 4-1. Having by far his best
game of the postseason, Bryant shot 12-of-21 along with 6 of 6 from the
foul line while committing only one turnover in 41 minutes. The Lakers now
meet the Spurs - between them winners of the last five NBA Championships -
in the second round starting Sunday in San Antonio. The Spurs, who swept
past Memphis in the first round, bring a 15-game winning streak into the
best-of-7 series including a 95-89 victory over the Lakers on April 4th.
The Spurs eliminated Los Angeles in the second round last spring on their
way to the championship, ending the Lakers' bid for a fourth straight
title, and swept the Lakers in the second round in 1999 en route to their
first championship.
Join us for live betting on Sunday's game and all the playoff games this
weekend, where our betting will include: Point Spread; Game Total; and Who
Will Win the Quarter.
bet365 NBA Championship prices... LA Lakers 6/4, SA Spurs 5/2, MIN TWolves
5/1, SAC Kings 5/1, others on bet365 website.
bet365 NBA Western Conference prices... LA Lakers 11/8, SA Spurs 2/1, MIN
TWolves 7/2, SAC Kings 4/1.
MLB
Boston and Anaheim, considered two of the American League's elite teams
entering the season, did nothing but enhance their reputations by
completing the sweep over New York and Oakland respectively over the
weekend. The Red Sox went to Yankee Stadium and swept the Yankees for the
first time since September 1999, the first time since 1988 the BoSox have
won the first two series against New York. The Red Sox prevailed 3-2 in 12
innings on Saturday when they became the first team ever - or at least
since first being tracked in 1974 - to win a game despite going 0-for-19
with runners in scoring position. Anaheim put up an equally impressive road
show, despite playing without injured outfielder Garret Anderson, when they
became the first team to sweep the Athletics in Oakland in 49 series,
dating back to May 2002. Anaheim had not swept the A's in Oakland since
July 1997. The Angels' weekend in the Bay Area improved Anaheim's road
record to 7-3, the team's best start since 1992.
bet365 MLB American League prices... NY Yankees 13/10, BOS Red Sox 2/1, ANA
Angels 11/2, OAK Athletics 10/1, others on bet365 website.
NBA/Baseball Bonus
With bet365's NBA/Baseball parlay bonus you can now score up to 50% more on
all your NBA and Baseball parlays! The bonus applies to winnings on
NBA/Baseball 3-14 team parlays, ranging from 7.5% on a winning 3-team
parlay, right up to a massive 50% for winning 12, 13, and 14-team parlays
on the following markets:
Basketball: Game Pointspread; Game Total; First Half Spread; Second Half
Spread; First Half Total; Second Half Total; Money Line.
Baseball: Run Line; Game Total; Money Line.
Please see bet365 website for full details.
NHL Playoffs
A spectacular breakaway goal by Alexander Mogilny sparked a three-goal,
second period spurt that helped Toronto to a 4-1 win over Philadelphia on
Wednesday night, cutting the Flyers' lead to 2-1 in the best-of-7 match-up.
It was an impressive offensive performance from the Maple Leafs, who had
been sputtering all postseason. Besides managing just one goal in each of
its first two games against Philadelphia, Toronto had scored just 16 goals
in nine games. Philadelphia failed to score the first goal for the first
time in this postseason, and were losing for only the second time after
needing only five games to eliminate New Jersey in the first round. Now
it's their turn to bounce back in Game 4 on Friday in Toronto, where the
Leafs have won four straight in the playoffs.
Join us on Friday night for live betting on the next game in the series,
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.
bet365 Series prices... Toronto 21/10, Philadelphia 2/5.
bet365 NHL Eastern Conference prices... TB Lightning 5/6, PHL Flyers 7/4,
TOR M Leafs 7/2, MON Canadiens 40/1.
Kentucky Derby
Th May 1st - 5:00 pm EST (NBC)/22:00 BST
As the countdown continues to the 'Run for the Roses', gate positions were
filled on Wednesday with the owners of Minister Eric taking the
number-seven gate, the most popular choice amongst past first picks. But he
is not among the favourites for the 130th running of the first leg of horse
racings 'Triple Crown'. The undefeated Smarty Jones and Tapit, two of the
three co-favourites for the race with us must start from outside gates (15
and 18 respectively).
Smarty Jones showed his well-being with a brilliant 58 second workout over
5-furlongs at Churchill on Saturday, but his pedigree and the way he wasn't
drawing off at the end in the Arkansas Derby, suggests 1 1/4 miles could
stretch his stamina. Tapit is trying to win the race off only four career
starts - not since 1918 has the Derby winner had that profile - but then
again he is trained by the 'mad genius' and miracle worker Michael
Dickinson! Our other co-favourite, The Cliff's Edge, is coming off a career
top after winning the Blue Grass Stakes last time out, but there is always
a chance he might regress after that, while only three winners of this race
in the past twelve years had won their final prep.
At these prices a chance is taken with Lion Heart, whose trainer Patrick
Biancone describes as 'a lamb when he works and a lion when the gate
opens'. As long as he breaks well, he's clearly got the controlling speed,
and he's never been worse than second in five starts. He could lead for a
long way and if the better closers find traffic trouble he might just hang
on and gasp home first!
The $500,000 Kentucky Oaks, considered the "derby of fillies," goes to the
post Friday at Churchill Downs with a field of 12. Madcap Escapade, the
undefeated winner of the Ashland Stakes at Keeneland, is the 3-1
morning-line favourite, ahead of Ashado (4/1), and last year's juvenile
filly champion Halfbridled at 9/2.
bet365 Kentucky Derby prices... The Cliff's Edge 5/1, Smarty Jones 6/1,
Tapit 5/1, Lion Heart 10/1, Imperialism 12/1, others on bet365 website.
Each Way ¼ odds 1.2.3.
HP Classic of New Orleans, English Turn, LA
Th Apr 29 - 4:00 pm EST (USA)/19:00 BST
Fr Apr 30 - 3:00 pm EST (USA)/18:00 BST
Sa May 1 - 3:00 pm EST (CBS)/18:00 BST
Su May 2 - 3:00 pm EST (CBS)/18:00 BST
With electrical storms forecast for the final three days of this week's PGA
Tour event in Louisiana, we could again be in line for another Monday
finish. This could play into the hands of those players who did not compete
in last week's rain affected Houston Open, which brings in the likes of
Phil Mickleson, amongst others. Mickleson is still likely to be on a high
after his Masters triumph, and with the course set-up perfect for him it is
not difficult to imagine him improving on his second place here back in
2001. His price is a little prohibitive, however, and a better each way bet
may be Kirk Triplett, who was carrying on a good year when finishing sixth
in the Masters last time out, one of three times he's finished sixth in
2004! What's more he has played the weekend in 11 of 12 appearances in New
Orleans and is on a streak of 16 straight rounds of par or better. Kevin Na
is making his debut at English Turn - normally a negative - but he has
shown enough in his limited Tour outings to date to merit an each way pick
this week.
bet365 pre-tournament prices... Singh 11/2, Mickleson 6/1, Verplank 20/1,
Choi 20/1, Appleby 20/1, Triplett 33/1, Na 66/1. Each-way 1/4 odds
1.2.3.4.5. Bet IN-RUNNING subject to TV coverage.
NASCAR Nextel Cup Series, Auto Club 500
Su May 2 - 3:00 pm EST (FOX)/20:00 BST
For this week's race we go out West, to Fontana, California. This wide
sweeping course is one of the newest on the circuit, and is very similar to
Las Vegas and Michigan. On Vegas form, the Jack Roush cars of Matt Kenseth
and Kurt Busch should go well. Last week's winner Jeff Gordon will be keen
to follow-up in his native state, and he has the best record of all the
current drivers on the Californian Speedway. However, this could be a good
opportunity for rookie Kasey Kahne to finally get the win he deserves. His
No9 car has always run well here, while the aerodynamics on the new Dodge
are proving to be well suited to this type of course.
bet365 Auto Club 500 prices... Busch 7/1, Gordon 8/1, Kahne 8/1, Johnson
9/1, Earnhardt Jr 9/1, Kenseth 10/1, Stewart 10/1, others on bet365
website. Each way 1/5 odds 1.2.3.
Be lucky!
Nigel.
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
To learn more about bet365 and any of their current bonuses offered
Click Here.