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It might only be less than a month since the MLB season got underway, but how bad does the Philadelphia Phillies’ offense have to be before we can really start to worry? How about the overhyped Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim or the same Boston Red Sox club that the sports betting experts argued would use last year’s collapse as motivation as bounce back this season in their MLB blogs? The defending American League champion Texas Rangers are looking good, as are the New York Yankees and Detroit Tigers. In the National League the defending World Series champion St. Louis Cardinals are back on top of their division, while the Los Angeles Dodgers lead the league with 13 wins. While some teams will undoubtedly break out of their slow starts and show improvement as the season progresses, there should also be some teams that have started strong but slow down. However, given the way that they have performed so far it is hard to imagine the Rangers, Dodgers, Yankees, or Cardinals slowing down any time soon, with too much talent and determination to spoil their fast starts.

The Rangers are coming off a World Series appearance that left them wanting more, and with such a strong young pitching staff and quality offense, it will be hard for even the Yankees to knock them out of their spot at the top of the AL. Meanwhile, even with the loss of Albert Pujols the Cardinals are still a legitimate betting contender with World Series stars like David Freese stepping up to fill the gap left by the game’s best player. The Dodgers meanwhile are giving their fans something to cheer for with Matt Kemp and Clayton Kershaw leading the way, and as long as the supporting cast continues to produce Los Angeles should be headed for a division title.

With the March Madness now down to the final four, we have already entered the final stretch of the 2011-12 NHL regular season, with the playoffs right around the corner. When it comes to sports betting, the NHL postseason is much different than the rest of the year, and there are several betting factors that should always be taken in to consideration for those actually looking to make a profit.

One of the first things to consider is throwing all any seed bias once the playoffs begin, much in the same way that you would during the March Madness. While consistency and overall health and talent are all factors in teams locking down the higher seeds, the atmosphere changes in the playoffs, where matchups are even more important. Some may think that because the higher seed means home ice advantage, that the favored team should have an edge, but there may not be another sport where teams rally together so strong on the road and come through with big wins. It isn’t uncommon to see teams split in each venue through the first four games, and every pay head contest should be regarded as its own. One factor to never overlook is a hot goalie, as we saw with the Montreal Canadiens when they rode Jaroslav Halak to the Eastern conference finals a couple of years ago, and with the Boston Bruins when Tim Thomas led them to a Stanley Cup just last year. Always remember that the betting public doesn’t have to substantiate your bet. If you feel like you have the edge handicapping a matchup, then don’t feel afraid to pull the trigger, as long as you have considered all of these key factors.

The NCAA national title tournament road to the Final Four is not an easy one for anyone that is brave enough to take part in the March Madness betting, but there are some easy strategy tips that can go a long way in helping break down any bracket to remember. The most important thing to remember off the top is to never bet against a No. 16 seed against a No. 1 seed, an upset scenario that has never occurred since the tournament first moved to 64 teams. The tournament will get much more complicated from there, but there are some general things to consider that could help.

First of all, just because a team is labeled as a higher seed, that does not make it the better team. Playing well during the regular season does not guarantee anything once the March Madness begins so throw away all notions that the top-four sports betting favorites will go all the way. Over the years, the best record actually belongs to the No. 3 seeds overall in tournaments, with a 52-37-3 mark against the spread when they are the higher seed, and 73-54-3 mark overall. One thing to beware of when playing any tournament matchup is the double-digit point spread. With so many games going down to the wire and teams fighting to the end, rarely does a team win by more than nine points. Double-digit underdogs have gone 58-47-3 ATS since 2000-01, so it only makes sense to not roll against them. In the end, there will be a lot of close matchups that go down to the wire, and no amount of stats in the world will guarantee anything, so make sure to trust your gut and don’t be afraid to take a shot. After all, it is called March Madness for a reason.

When it comes down to handicapping college basketball betting it is all about the offensive numbers, and the key categories that will help determine how games will play out, especially when it comes to determining a winner against the spread. While every offensive aspect of a team’s game matters, there are five categories that are more crucial than any other when breaking down the correlation between the offense and how teams fare against the spread. The most obvious of these numbers will be a team’s point per game totals, but those are as easy to find as any number, which means the pay head bookies are keeping track of them just the same as you are.

In order to really handicap a spread, the four categories that must be closely observed are field goal percentage, three-point percentage, free throws, and rebounding. Whether it’s a close game, or a team is running away with a victory, covering a spread can usually come down to just a couple of points, and that is why efficiency is key. So many times with March Madness betting spreads, something as simple as two missed free throws, or a late jumper could make the difference in winning or losing against the spread. While shooting percentages are key, getting the job done will also come down to solid rebounding at both ends of the floor. With the national title tournament right around the corner, make sure to keep an eye on these numbers, and remember the strong correlation between offense and covering the spread.