Jankovic, Sharapova win three-set matches in Cincy

Tennis Betting Lines

08/10/2010 - Mason, OH (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Defending champion and top seed Jelena Jankovic won her second-round match, while Maria Sharapova was a first-round victor Tuesday at the $2 million Western & Southern Financial Group Women's Open, a hardcourt U.S. Open Series event.

Jankovic earned a 6-4, 3-6, 6-1 win over Russian Vera Dushevina on the hardcourts at the Lindner Family Tennis Center. The Serb Jankovic defeated Russian Dinara Safina in last year's Cincy final. Jankovic, currently ranked No. 2 in the world, collected her 12th career title at Indian Wells this year.

Sharapova, the 10th seed and a former world No. 1, downed fellow Russian Svetlana Kuznetsova, 6-4, 1-6, 6-2. Kuznetsova titled in San Diego last week.

Former Wimbledon runner-up Marion Bartoli reached the third round with a 7-6 (7-4), 6-1 victory over struggling Ukrainian Alona Bondarenko. Bartoli is seeded 16th here.

The only other second-round encounter saw Uzbekistan qualifier Akgul Amanmuradova down Serbian Bojana Jovanovski, 6-2, 6-0.

In other opening-round action involving seeds, No. 11 Italian Flavia Pennetta pasted Chinese Zheng Jie 6-4, 6-2, No. 12 Belgian Yanina Wickmayer whipped Hungarian Greta Arn 6-2, 6-2 and American Christina McHale upended No. 15 Russian Nadia Petrova 7-6 (7-4), 5-3, as Petrova retired while wilting in the heat.

Russian Elena Vesnina dismissed American Melanie Oudin 6-2, 6-3 in a first- round affair, while Russian glamour girl Maria Kirilenko leveled Ukrainian Kateryna Bondarenko 6-1, 6-3.

Additional opening-round wins came for Argentine Gisela Dulko, German Andrea Petkovic, Austrian Sybille Bammer and Russian Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova. Bammer will encounter last year's U.S. Open runner-up and last week's Copenhagen champion Caroline Wozniacki, this week's second seed, in the round of 32.

This week's champ will take home $350,000.

Casinos--sportsbooks Tennis Betting News

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Cincinnati, OH (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - St. Louis Cardinals second baseman Skip Schumaker left Tuesday's game in Cincinnati with leg cramps. He went hitless in three at-bats and was replaced by Aaron Miles in the bottom of the sixth inning.

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Milwaukee, WI (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Miguel Montero hit the tie-breaking homer off Chris Capuano in the eighth inning, sending Arizona to a 2-1 win over the Milwaukee Brewers. Sam Demel, who notched his first major league win on Monday,

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Arlington, TX (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - David Murphy's game-winning single in the bottom of the 10th inning lifted the Texas Rangers to a 4-3 victory over the New York Yankees in the opener of a two-game series between division leaders at Rang

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Seattle, WA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Felix Hernandez turned in eight strong innings to outduel Brett Anderson, as the Seattle Mariners blanked Oakland, 2-0, in the second portion of a three-game series at Safeco Field. Hernandez (8-9) gave u

Ludwick powers Padres over Pirates >>
San Diego, CA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Ryan Ludwick hit two home runs and Wade LeBlanc pitched 5 2/3 innings of one-run ball, as the San Diego Padres downed the Pittsburgh Pirates, 4-1, in the opener of a three-game series. LeBlanc (6-10) a

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Anaheim, CA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Dan Haren threw seven innings to record his first win since becoming an Angel, as Los Angeles edged Kansas City, 3-1, in the middle contest of a three-game series. Haren (1-2), who was traded from Arizona

Mayweather picked to beat De La Hoya
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA -- Golden Boy Oscar De La Hoya and his rival Floyd Mayweather Jr. arrived at the MGM Grand here Wednesday amid the pomp and pandemonium befitting two of the biggest stars in the sport who are about to duke it out for the WBC super welterweight crown this Saturday (Sunday in Manila).

As of Wednesday, MySportsbook.com closed its book with Mayweather a favorite to defeat De La Hoya at -170 (a $100 bet wins $70), while De La Hoya is a +140 underdog (a $100 bet wins $140).

Mayweather arrived at about 11:30 a.m. on a big truck with his face and a big "World's Best Pound-for-Pound" sign scribbled across the vehicle. He was accompanied by his entourage made up of rappers and his training team.

A crowd of close to 3,000 eager fans packed the MGM Grand lobby, with their cameras in tow, all trying to vie for position to get a good angle at Mayweather, who is acknowledged as the world's best fighter pound-for-pound.

Eric Gomez, Golden Boy Promotions vice-president, described the fan turnout as "amazing" and swore he had never seen anything quite like this event.

"The crowd was fantastic. Everybody was just too eager to see the two fighters," said ALA manager Michael Aldeguer, who was among those who waited at the lobby together with his ward Rey "Boom Boom" Bautista and AJ Banal.

De La Hoya made his own grand entrance at the hotel lobby at around 12:30 p.m. accompanied by GBP chief executive officer Richard Schaefer and trainer Freddie Roach.

The same group of fans who trooped to see Mayweather also lingered around to get a close look at De La Hoya, who has been secretly working out at a Las Vegas gym for days after arriving from his main training camp in Puerto Rico.

The golden boy then took part in a closed-door afternoon workout with Bautista and Banal. The two, along with Aldeguer and wife Christine, as well as an HBO crew were the only ones allowed inside the gym.

De La Hoya and Mayweather take part in today's final press conference before the official weigh-in this Friday.

Ring Magazine, the acknowledged bible of boxing, reported in its June 2007 issue that 12 out of 20 boxing experts it interviewed have favored Mayweather to defeat De la Hoya, with only 8 favoring the latter.

But Filipino ring icon Manny Pacquiao said in a recent interview with The Freeman's Emmanuel Villaruel that De La Hoya will win by unanimous decision over Mayweather.

To visit this online sportsbook got to MySportsbook.com for all your bet on boxing needs.

Academy Award Betting Odds for Best Picture Offer Great Value

If there is any category that is not an obvious win for any one nominee in this year's Academy Awards, it would be for Best Picture.  Sure the Departed is a 5/7 favorite, but that's hardly anything when we look at Helen Mirren and her "out-of-reach" 1 to 40 odds (which means you would win a whopping $1 for every $40 bet).

For value, take a look at MySportsbook.com Oscars betting odds on my personal favorite, The Queen - a remarkable 12 to 1 long shot.  The film hasn't won any pre-awards for Best Picture (compared to The Departed and Little Miss Sunshine), but there is a tremendous following and it is a strong enough film to warrant a surprise win.

TV Guide advises Oscar watchers should be cautioned not to discount the  drama "Babel" with its strong social themes about overcoming communication gaps among people of different cultures.

"While 'Babel' lost several guild awards to 'Sunshine' and 'Departed,'  it still enjoys loyal support, and historically Oscar voters favor dramas with social messages over comedies like 'Sunshine' and violent crime movies like 'Departed'."

"It hasn't done well in the guilds, which means there isn't much industry support," said Tom O'Neil of awards site TheEnvelope.com, "But several critics are expecting it to win, and that gets my attention." Babel had 7 to 2 odds at press time.

Who is to say independently produced Little Miss Sunshine won't be this year's Crash.  Last year, Crash won for Best Motion Picture, shocking those who bet on gay cowboy flick, Brokeback Mountain, as the favorite to win. 

To visit this online sportsbook got to MySportsbook.com for all your Sportsbook accepts Visa needs.