Cleveland Browns 2007 Draft Preview

Football Betting Lines

04/02/2007 - (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Like the Dolphins, the Browns are a team with a draft status that will be impacted by what it chooses to do at the quarterback position in the coming weeks. Conventional wisdom suggests that Cleveland will add a veteran QB such as Trent Green prior to the draft, given the fact that head coach Romeo Crennel and general manager Phil Savage can't afford to wait around for a rookie QB to find his footing. If a veteran QB is acquired, the Browns would be foolish not to select Oklahoma running back Adrian Peterson with the third overall selection. At least one ready-to-play offensive lineman will also be a major need on a team that allowed 53 sacks last year. Defensively, the Browns will be without cornerback Daylon McCutcheon (released) and safety Brian Russell (free agent, Seahawks) next season, and will target secondary help. The pass rush also needs some help after generating just 28 sacks a year ago.

2006 Record: 4-12

First Pick: No. 3

Number of Selections: 7 (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)

RECENT FIRST ROUND HISTORY: 2006 - Kamerion Wimbley (OLB, Florida State); 2005 - Braylon Edwards (WR, Michigan); 2004 - Kellen Winslow (TE, Miami (FL)); 2003 - Jeff Faine (C, Notre Dame); 2002 - William Green (RB, Boston College); 2001 - Gerard Warren (DT, Florida); 2000 - Courtney Brown (DE, Penn State); 1999 - Tim Couch (QB, Kentucky); 1995 - Craig Powell (LB, Ohio State); 1994 - Antonio Langham (CB, Alabama), Derrick Alexander (WR, Michigan); 1993 - Steve Everitt (C, Michigan); 1992 - Tommy Vardell (FB, Stanford); 1991 - Eric Turner (S, UCLA); 1990 - none.

Wsportszone Football Betting News

<< San Diego Chargers 2007 Draft Preview
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Chargers could end up with as many as six first-day picks, as the team would add a first- and third-rounder if another club signs away restricted free agent running back Michael Turner. The possibility of six more ready-t

<< Jacksonville Jaguars 2007 Draft Preview
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Jaguars were done in last season largely due to injury problems on defense, so enhancing their base of talent on that side of the football will likely be the franchise's top draft-day goal. High-priced defensive end Reggi

<< Oakland Raiders 2007 Draft Preview
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Draftniks everywhere are sitting on pins and needles waiting to see what the Raiders will do with the No. 1 pick. Conventional wisdom says that offensively-challenged will select strong-armed LSU quarterback JaMarcus Russell,

<< Cincinnati Bengals 2007 Draft Preview
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Cincinnati had its problems defensively last season, then lost reliable players like linebacker Brian Simmons (released) and safety Kevin Kaesviharn (free agent to Saints) in the offseason. The Bengals need to get younger and

<< Kansas City Chiefs 2007 Draft Preview
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Though defensive-minded head coach Herm Edwards would probably rather shore up his area of expertise, there is no disputing that Kansas City has more significant needs on offense. The Chiefs have long lacked a first-rate No.

Denver Broncos 2007 Draft Preview >>
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Broncos are likely to be in the market for linebacker help, since middle man Al Wilson is being shopped in a trade and is set to be released if he is not dealt. After releasing the disappointing Courtney Brown, some assis

Buffalo Bills 2007 Draft Preview >>
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The first day of the 2007 Draft will be extremely important for a Bills team that cut ties with the likes of running back Willis McGahee, linebackers Takeo Spikes and London Fletcher-Baker, and cornerback Nate Clements during

Indianapolis Colts 2007 Draft Preview >>
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Colts lost five somewhat recognizable players in running back Dominic Rhodes, wide receiver Brandon Stokley, linebacker Cato June, defensive tackle Montae Reagor and cornerback Nick Harper, but June is really the only pla

Renteria's homers help Braves rally past Phillies >>
Philadelphia, PA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Edgar Renteria's two-run homer in the 10th inning lifted Atlanta over Philadelphia, 5-3, in the 2007 season opener for both clubs at Citizens Bank Park. Renteria, who finished 2-for-5 with three runs

Jays tame Tigers in 10 >>
Detroit, MI (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Lyle Overbay doubled and sparked a 10th-inning two-run rally with a single for the Toronto Blue Jays, who downed the Detroit Tigers, 5-3, in the first of a three-game set at Comerica Park. With the score de

Sportsbooks to bet on football

Recently I had an email debate with an angry reader who said I did not understand "the science of oddsmaking", as he called it.

He said I was wrong for suggesting oddsmakers care about who wins or loses games.

"Oddsmakers only care about splitting the betting public 50/50 on both sides of the line and keeping the commission (a.k.a. juice)," he wrote.

He might have been right about not understanding "the science of oddsmaking". After all, I'm not an oddsmaker. That said, I stick to my assertion that oddsmakers (a.k.a. sportbooks) often do care about who wins games.

Granted, as a general rule, sportsbooks try to balance their action so that they're not exposed to big losses. However, there are times when this is difficult to pull off, regardless of how much a line has moved. There are also times when that general rule is ignored and a book pursues risk.

Generally speaking, it's safe to say the books in Vegas are risk-adverse. Unlike in the past when the wise guys ruled the town, Vegas is now corporate and the goal of most casinos is to make as much money as possible with as little risk as possible.

Thus, Vegas sportsbooks try everything in their power to balance the action. They're satisfied simply collecting the juice. But these profits are small, especially compared to the take from other casino games, namely slot machines.

Because the profits at Vegas sportsbooks are so small, you could argue that many casinos operate sportsbooks simply as a novelty to keep the tourists happy.

With a growing aversion to risk, it should come as no surprise that Vegas bookmakers have been panicking this NFL season.

Despite huge pointspreads, a disproportionate percentage of bettors are still laying their money on favorites like the Eagles, Colts, Pats and Vikings rather than the dogs (a common trend for the largely recreational bettors that visit Vegas).

And much to the dismay of the books, those favorites are finding ways to cover the thick chalk. In fact, prior to Week 7, the four teams listed above are a combined 16-2-2 (88 percent) against the spread. (The tables turned dramatically in Week 7, but more on that later.)

The result has been an early-season beating for the books, and a bonanza for bettors.

While Vegas increasingly hates risk, it's no longer a major player in the sports betting world. Most of the betting action now takes place offshore where sportsbooks are not as obsessed about balance. In fact, some books encourage exposure to risk because the rewards can be so much bigger.

Consider MySportsbook.com. On its website, the book has odds pages which actually display the amount of action it's getting on games. In other words, you can see how much action the book is taking on both sides of a pointspread, moneyline or over/under.

One look at these numbers and it's obvious MySportsbook.com does not balance every game. In fact, far from it.

Take last weekend's matchup between St. Louis and Miami. By game time on Sunday, 83 percent of the betting action at MySportsbook.com was on the Rams; only 17 percent was on Miami.

What's interesting is that MySportsbook.com opened the pointspread with Miami at +6 1/2. By game time, the spread had lowered to +5.

That goes contrary to the balancing theory. If MySportsbook.com had wanted to balance the action, it would have given Miami more points; instead, it took away 1 1/2. World Series odds are now up as well.

MySportsbook.com exposed itself to even more to risk, and rolled the dice on the underdog Dolphins. Why? I contacted a representative with the book to find out. His answer was simple.

"The line moved early based on 'smart money' from sharp players," said Jeff Gilroy, a spokesperson for the book. "We also knew from early in the week that we would need Miami, therefore (we dropped) the spread to encourage Rams money.

"At the end of the day, we liked the home team."

So the conclusion is this: MySportsbook.com respected the sharp action, and gambled that the sharp bettors had a better take on the game than the recreational bettors, who were hammering the visiting Rams.

In the end, the gamble paid off. Miami, desperate for a win in front of its home fans, pounded the overrated Rams, who are terrible on the road and even worse on grass. Final score: 31-14 Fish.

MySportsbook.com was also heavily exposed on numerous favorites in Week 7, including Philadelphia, Seattle and Denver. All three failed to cover.

The fact that sportsbooks are exposed to risk on certain games is really nothing new. The fact, that Sportsbook.com is willing to show the public where it's exposed is intriguing.

Armed with this type of information, bettors can make more educated wagers. They can get an idea where the sharp money is going and conversely where the public money is headed.

MySportsbook.com is opening up its cashbox, letting bettors look inside and challenging them to take their best shot at grabbing the cash.

To visit this online football betting got to MySportsbook.com for all your football betting odds needs. Mysportsbook.com online sportsbook accepts Visa and Mastercard credit cards.