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Author: David Solar

18
June

Cain is Willing, But is he Able? Examining Value Following a No-Hitter

06/18/2012
In Bet Labs, MLB
By David Solar

Last Wednesday, Giants’ pitcher Matt Cain tossed arguably the greatest game in the long and storied history of Major League Baseball. In an era dominated by hitters, the 27-year old right hander threw just the 22nd perfect game in league history, complete with 14 strikeouts, in a 10-0 victory over the Houston Astros. Tonight, Cain (8-2, 2.18 ERA) will take the mound for the first time since this dazzling display with many wondering how he will follow up his momentous feat.


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14
June

Interleague Dismay: Does One League Dominate This New Tradition?

06/14/2012
In MLB
By David Solar

The St. Louis Cardinals and San Francisco Giants may have won the past two World Series, but interleague play has been dominated by the American League since being introduced in 1997. Perhaps it’s the advantage of having a permanent designated hitter as opposed to a bench hitter. Perhaps AL teams just have higher budgets and more talented teams. Whatever the reasoning, the American League has owned the National League with a 2,003-1,825 record — good for a 52.32% winning percentage.

This trend has continued to rear its head in 2012 with the American League winning 55.17% (64-52) of the time entering today’s action. In fact, if you had bet every AL team, you would have earned +4.85 units this year and +99.27 units since the beginning of the 2005 season. However, that would involve betting on nearly 2,000 games and most bettors aren’t prepared to bet such a high number of contests.

So what are the sweet spots for betting interleague games? Do National League teams have an advantage in their home ballparks? Does a contrarian philosophy add value to your bet?


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11
June

2012 NBA Finals Preview: Who do the Betting Trends Favor?

06/11/2012
In NBA
By David Solar

The 2012 NBA Finals is a dream match-up of young superstars, as the Miami Heat take on the Oklahoma City Thunder beginning on Tuesday, June 12 in Oklahoma City.

Could LeBron/Durant be the next Magic/Bird? With a three-time scoring champ in one corner, and a three-time MVP in the other, both players certainly have the necessary credentials. But who do the betting trends favor in this epic matchup?


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06
June

The Public Has Bet the Over in 87% of NBA Playoff Games. Are They Right?

06/06/2012
In NBA
By David Solar

The Celtics’ shocking 94-90 victory over the Heat last night not only completely shifted momentum, but also marked the fourth consecutive time the over has hit this series. That has dropped Boston’s postseason record for unders to 45-43 (51.1%, -1.01 units) during the Big Three Era.

This recent scoring binge has also been detrimental to betting the Heat’s unders, which dropped into the red for the first time with a 37-36 record (-.99 units) since 2006 and 15-19 (-4.74 units) since LeBron took his talents to South Beach.


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