10/29/2008 - Philadelphia, PA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Things didn't quite go the way they were supposed to in the Breeders' Cup Classic. Curlin was supposed to win the Classic and secure his second Horse of the Year title.
With a quarter-mile to run the pre-written script was being followed to the letter. Jockey Robby Albarado had Curlin moving on the outside and the two took the lead at the top of the stretch. In mid-stretch Curlin was on his way to winning his second $5 million Classic and wrap up Horse of the Year honors.
With 200 yards to go Curlin tired and Raven's Pass, who simply followed the favorite's path into the stretch, took the lead and won by a little under two- lengths. Curlin faded to fourth in the 12 horse field.
"With Curlin, nothing is a consolation," trainer Steve Asmussen said. "We're just proud of who he is. He's the first North American-based horse over $10 million and he's just had a remarkable run.
"Watching the race first time by, I was very concerned. It kind of looked like the Man o' War. He was off the bridle. Very concerned. I think he had to struggle to get where he was, the first time by. When he went under the wire the first time, he was further back and Robby was nudging him forward. He works harder to go over it than he works to go over the dirt."
Because of that fourth place finish by Curlin, the undefeated filly Zenyatta could be voted Horse of the Year. In the final NTRA National Poll, Zenyatta was first with 170 points to 158 for Curlin. The filly received 11 first place votes and Curlin got seven.
"It's quite an accomplishment to go all year undefeated, and to step up each time, four of them in Grade 1, like she did," said trainer John Shirreffs of the four-year-old filly, unbeaten in nine starts, seven of them this year. "In the vote, she would have to be seriously considered for that."
The major problem I have with Zenyatta, as opposed to Curlin, is the fact that the filly has only raced once outside of the southern California region. Curlin has been overseas, Kentucky and New York this year, and was clearly the best thoroughbred, until Saturday.
When the Eclipse Awards are announced in January, Curlin will receive one for champion older male and Zenyatta will be crowned top older female horse. I wouldn't be surprised if there is a tie for Horse of the Year, as long as one of those horses is Curlin.
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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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