Intoducing: Weekly Gambling Corner!

[fin-atic]

All:

In this thread I want to introduce the return of a popular feature of FinHeaven.com. Our staff member Mike Oliva (MikeO) has historically provided his take on a roster of games each week and how he feels you should play the odds to increase your opportunity to be a winner!

Below is Mike's first overview of the season and starting next week his column will appear front page every Wednesday through Friday.

So if you like to try your luck come and see how MikeO breaks down the action for you exclusively here at Finheaven.com!!!






____________________________________________________________
By Mike Oliva

Oh its that time of year again. Yes, its time for the return of the most popular column on any fan-site anywhere. Yes, its time for the return of the GAMBLING CORNER.

Year four of the most read fan-site column anywhere is back. Here is how it works for you new readers out there. Each week I pick a few college and a few NFL games against the spread. And I will name one of my picks as my Stone Cold Lead Pipe Lock of the week. That's my can't miss! We will keep a running tally, and as you will see in time I win a lot more than I lose. My record regularly beats the picks you get in the Boston Herald, NY Post, Daily News and Philadelphia Inquirer. And remember one thing each and every week when you read this column.....the goal is to make $$$. Nothing more, nothing less. So, without further fan-fare lets get right to the picks for Week 1

Home Team in Caps


College Games

FLORIDA -21.5 over Miami
Look, the Canes might "be back" but they won't be able to proclaim that this week. Florida is loaded and Urban would love nothing more than to lay it to the Canes and send a message to every top high school prospect in the State of Florida that the Gators are where its at. I see 56-10 written all over this. So confident about this one I will make it my STONE COLD LEAD PIPE LOCK of the week.

SYRACUSE -4.5 over Akron
The Orange suck, no doubt about that. With that said though Akron can't stop the run and the Orange have a 3 headed monster at running back that can be effective and will be effective at home over an Akron team that got ran over big-time last week.

PITT -13 over Buffalo
Buffalo has improved, but they are still Buffalo. Wannstedt sucks, no doubt about that but I can't see a team with that kind of talent losing 2 in a row at home. Pitt will "get better" this week vs Buffalo and lay it to them good. Pitt wins big.

UCONN -7 over Temple
Once again we have a line here that is a little out of whack. Usually happens early in the season. UCONN was very good last year, sure they lost some players but they should have no trouble with Temple on the road.

Year to Date Record: 0-0


NFL Games

SAN FRAN +2.5 over Arizona
Everyone was loving the 49ers last year and I wasn't buying into the hype. Well this year put JT O'Sulliven at QB and Mike Martz calling the plays and I am lovin the 49ers this year. Kurt Warner........really. Take San Fran at home getting points.

MIAMI +3 over New York Jets
I think this has game of the week potential written all over it. The Jets clearly have far superior talent, but that September Miami Heat might be the great equalizer. That and always love a team that has nothing to lose and a QB with a chip on his shoulder. I see this game going down to the wire, so take the 3 pts here.

Dallas -5.5 over CLEVELAND
The Browns are overrated. The Cowboys aren't. Lay the pts on the road.

SAN DIEGO -8.5 over Carolina
I love the Chargers this year and I think the Panthers offense will struggle to score points this week with no Steve Smith. SD will lay the smack down on the Panthers this week.

Year to Date Record: 0-0

Stone Cold Lead Pipe Lock Record: 0-0

Lines courtesy of www.ATSwins.com

[FinFan1nDC]

Do you have stats from your last few seasons?

[WVdolphan]

Love the first 3 pro picks you made myself MikeO. I see the Phins and the Cowboys as locks.

Its ridiculous how overrated the Browns are. Yea, they won 10 games last season and Anderson and Edwards looks like a solid connection, but its the Browns. They won 10 games vs. teams with losing records and I still dont believe in their defense. Im not as big on the cowboys as the media is, but I could see them steamrolling Cleveland this weekend.

I also wonder if Deion Sanders will stop laughing when someone on the set brings up the dolphins after we throttle the Jets. He is really starting to piss me off. Tonight on Total Access he followed up his total disrespect from the other night, by simply laughing when Eisen brought up the subject of the phins. He keeps harping on we traded our best player and thinks we will be as bad or worse than last season. He is clueless. He thinks all we did was add Pennington and Ricky. Little does he know that we are getting a TON of decent or better players back from injury, and we bolstered our defense big time. Especially with the addition of Ferguson. Our run D will be improved alot, and the addition of Pennington and Ricky instantly gives us at least some credibility on offense. I look for us to give Farve big problems. I think our team will be more prepared to play this game and will work better as a team. The Jets werent good last year and although they added some pricey big names, they still havent played as a team yet. Mix in that I think the phins will be MUCH HUNGRIER and come out playing like their hair is on fire, it could be a long afternoon for the Jets.

[PressCoverage]

Originally Posted by FinFan1nDC

Do you have stats from your last few seasons?

+1 ...

for integrity sake, total W-L record vs. the 11/10 the past several seasons should be provided... i know at least one season was solid, so there should be nothing to hide... =)

[MikeO]

there is nothing to hide, but all the stats were lost when the site crashed for some 9 months last year. Sorry guys........ just gotta take my word for it,

and if you don't want to take my word for it, let me prove it to you week in and week out here on the site.


Hey, its a fun, light-hearted column guys. Im not perfect with these picks by any means, but I do have a little knack at this since I have been gambling on football for years. And by the end of the year I always WIN more than I lose. And I do beat the newspapers I have listed year in and year out. I will have a clunker of a week every now and then like everyone else. So, just take the column for what it is..... and if your not a believer, thats cool. Your entitled to have your opinion.....and don't read the column!!!

PEACE OUT!

[leib5638]

There was one NFL game I was looking at that seems pretty enticing that you didn't mention. And let me preface my pick by saying that I am by no means an expert.

I was looking at Cincy (-1.5) at Baltimore (+1.5)

From everything I've heard, Flacco will be the starter for Baltimore. If that is the case, my money will be on Cincy to win by more than 1.5. I can't remember the last time a rookie came in in their first start and looked good. Not to mention that the Ravens offense has 0 weapons.

The way I see it, it's Carson Palmer (Chad Johnson, Houshamanzadeh) against Flacco (0 weapons). Palmer is one of the better QB's in the NFL, and I just don't see him losing to Flacco in his first start. The Ravens D isn't what it once was, and I just don't see how the Ravens Offense scores.

I love the San Diego to cover the spread over Carolina.

I'm liking the Pats to cover the spread over the Chiefs. I am convinced the Chiefs will be picking first in the draft next year (MAYBE the Falcons). I just don't see how they score.

[MikeO]

Originally Posted by leib5638

There was one NFL game I was looking at that seems pretty enticing that you didn't mention. And let me preface my pick by saying that I am by no means an expert.

I was looking at Cincy (-1.5) at Baltimore (+1.5)

From everything I've heard, Flacco will be the starter for Baltimore. If that is the case, my money will be on Cincy to win by more than 1.5. I can't remember the last time a rookie came in in their first start and looked good. Not to mention that the Ravens offense has 0 weapons.

The way I see it, it's Carson Palmer (Chad Johnson, Houshamanzadeh) against Flacco (0 weapons). Palmer is one of the better QB's in the NFL, and I just don't see him losing to Flacco in his first start. The Ravens D isn't what it once was, and I just don't see how the Ravens Offense scores.

I love the San Diego to cover the spread over Carolina.

I'm liking the Pats to cover the spread over the Chiefs. I am convinced the Chiefs will be picking first in the draft next year (MAYBE the Falcons). I just don't see how they score.

Yeah, I don't trust Cincy laying points vs anyone. And I don't like Baltimore enough to pick. The Pats should win easy, but after last year they might not roll it up on opponents since it got them nowhere last year. So they might get up by a ton, pull starters and just coast to wins. Which means a lot of backdoor covers. I could see KC scoring a bunch late in meaningless time to get under the number.I am avoiding that game (and all NE games) until I see how NE is going to play this year when up by a lot.

[Gonzo]

Fun to read as always Mike. I agree 100% regarding Cleveland.

[misterx]

just wondering can we ask about games not mentioned

[MikeO]

Originally Posted by misterx

just wondering can we ask about games not mentioned

shoot

[Magic_believer]

What are the best online betting sites?

[misterx]

Penn St and Oregon St

[bigchub22]

be careful on that penn state oregon state game i dont think osu is any good in my opinion but psu is missing like 4 players to suspension this week

[bigchub22]

gonna have to stick to my betting skills sorry just had more right than ya but def. check your opinions week in and week out to compare

[jtsacksyou]

glad this was intoduced.