Ovechkin heads NHL's Three Stars

Hockey Betting Lines

02/08/2010 - New York, NY (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Washington Capitals forwards Alex Ovechkin and Nicklas Backstrom, along with newly minted Maple Leaf goaltender Jean Sebastien Giguere, have been named the NHL's 'Three Stars' for the week ending February 7.

Ovechkin took home top honors having led the league in scoring with 10 points during the week, including seven goals, to secure sole possession of both categories for the season at 86 points and 42 goals.

The Russian sniper put the finishing touches on his week with a hat trick in Washington's 5-4 overtime win against defending Stanley Cup champion Pittsburgh on Sunday. The win was the Capitals' 14th straight, matching the third-longest win streak in NHL history.

Giguere earned Second Star honors, and in his first week with a new club. The former Duck was dealt by Anaheim to Toronto on January 31 for fellow netminder Vesa Toskala and proceeded to post consecutive 30-save shutouts in his first two games as a Maple Leaf.

Backstrom matched his teammate Ovechkin with 10 points, with two goals and eight assists, to garner Third Star accolades for the second straight week. He tied a career high with five points in a 6-5 win against the Rangers on February 4 and currently holds an eight-game scoring streak.

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SPORTS BETTING

NFL Football Betting Online

In terms of sports wagering, the NFL is "the most popular game in town." The explanation behind that is easy.

It is called the "pointspread."

Many years ago, NFL games, as well as the more popular college games, used straight odds as a vehicle for betting. For example, if the Bears were playing the Giants, and it shaped up as a competitive contest, the Bears might be, say, a 7/5 favorite. If they were playing an also-ran, it might be 10/1. Well, there is a point where a line becomes prohibitive, as far as betting the favorite. And who would waste money betting an underdog that has virtually no chance? Such a setup did not contribute to promoting betting action.

But in modern sports betting, a "pointspread" is used.

A NFL pointspreads are exactly that, a pre-established point difference between the two sides that will, for all intents and purposes, create a handicap that evens things out, and in doing so, produces comparable wagering activity on both sides of that proposition. So in lieu of a odds figure in which to bet the team to win outright, the Bears might be a three-point favorite over the New York Giants, and a 17-point favorite over the also-ran. Now that the team that is the underdog can "get" points, there can be equal action on both sides.

In sportsbooks, this is usually done with efficiency by charging the losing bettors 10% extra - in effect, bettors are laying 11/10 on those games. So they are actually betting $110 to win $100. If they lose, they pay the "vig." If they win, they simply collect.

The establishment of the pointspread as the corner stone around which team sports like football can be wagered upon was truly what brought gridiron betting into the stratosphere.

Don't believe it? Just take a look at what happens around the Super Bowl.

Stay with us here as we take you through the best in NFL action on a consistent basis, with advice columns as well as handicapping selections. If you're looking for college football betting, that's in our NCAA section, which you can reach by clicking here. And if you're looking for a different kind of football, such as the Canadian Football League, which we'll deal with occasionally, or the Arena Football League, which we really like, you can find it in our Miscellaneous section by clicking

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