MLB and NFL Betting This Week
With the Summer Olympics now over Major League Baseball reclaims the sports betting spotlight once again this week, with the pennant and Wild Card races heating up in both the American and National League. As well, it's Week 2 of the NFL's preseason schedule, while the PGA Tour offers golfers one last chance to qualify for the FedExCup playoffs, and the Sprint Cup Series competes in the Pure Michigan 400.
The New York Yankees begin a tough home stretch on Monday as they start a four-game series against the Texas Rangers in a battle of AL division leaders. The Rangers have newly-acquired Ryan Dempster scheduled to start for them on Monday, while the Yankees had to scratch ace hurler CC Sabathia from the start after he went on the DL.
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Other key series early this week around baseball include the Dodgers at Pittsburgh and Washington at San Francisco, with the Nationals now at 9/1 and the Giants at 12/1 on the odds to win the World Series at the sportsbooks. The Reds, who hold down top spot in the NL Central standings, will be at home to take on the Mets early this week.
On the weekend the Yankees will then get a visit from the Red Sox, while AL Wild Card contenders clash in Detroit when the Tigers host the Orioles. As well, the Rays will be in Los Angeles to play the Angels, and the Pirates will tangle with the Cardinals in St. Louis. The Dodgers will close out their week in Atlanta with a series against the Braves.
The second round of the NFL's preseason schedule kicks off on Thursday this week and continues through to next Monday night. Peyton Manning and the Broncos will return to action on Saturday night at home against the Seahawks, with Denver beating Chicago 31-3 on the road in their exhibition opener last week. Manning completed four of his seven pass attempts for 44 yards in that contest, with no TDs and an interception
Thursday's slate has Cleveland at Green Bay and Cincinnati at Atlanta, while the top matchup on Friday is Detroit at Baltimore. Along with Seahawks/Broncos the other notable game on Saturday is the Giants vs. the Jets, while Indianapolis takes on Pittsburgh on Sunday night. Next Monday night the Patriots will play host to the Eagles.
On the links the PGA Tour follows up last week's major tournament in South Carolina with the 2012 Wyndham Championship at Sedgefield Country Club in Greensboro, North Carolina; the Wyndham Championship is the final event on the tour's schedule before the FedExCup playoffs get underway next week at The Barclays. Webb Simpson claimed the Wyndham title last year by three strokes over George McNeill.
The Sprint Cup Series has a few weeks to go before its playoffs get underway, and those drivers will be at Michigan International Speedway this week for Sunday's Pure Michigan 400. NASCAR bettors who took a chance on Dale Earnhardt Jr. at the track back in June earned themselves a payout when he won the Quicken Loans 400. Kyle Busch took the checkered flag in the Pure Michigan 400 when it was run last season.
Elsewhere, the WNBA returns from its Olympic break on Thursday with three games on its schedule – including East-leading Connecticut at New York. The Canadian Football League has a full slate of four games this week, most notably Saskatchewan at B.C. on Sunday night. And finally, MMA bettors can get their fix with Strikeforce: Rousey vs. Kaufman on Saturday, with Rowdy Ronda the -600 favorite to win her bout that night.