Pettersen wins LPGA Championship

Golf Betting Lines

06/11/2007 - Havre de Grace, MD (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Suzann Pettersen waited two months for another chance. This time, she wouldn't let it get away.

The intense, long-hitting Norwegian won her first major Sunday by edging out Karrie Webb at the McDonald's LPGA Championship, atoning for her collapse at the first major of the season, the Kraft Nabisco Championship in April.

In that tournament, Pettersen gave away four shots on a three-hole stretch at the end of the final round, handing Morgan Pressel her first major instead.

Sunday, Pettersen made four birdies on the back nine, including a 12-foot putt at the 17th with Webb knocking on the door, and closed with a five-under 67 to win by a shot at Bulle Rock.

"Last time I was so close. To come here and win and feel the pressure coming down the stretch, it's just amazing to stand here and be by myself on top," said Pettersen, who finished at 14-under 274.

Pettersen needed a two-putt par from 30 feet at the 18th green to close it out. She nearly holed the first try, rolling it within tap-in range on the right side of the cup.

Then, she waited for playing partner and overnight leader Na On Min to putt out before finishing off her closing par.

"I was really happy I got it that close," Pettersen said of her 30-foot try on 18. "I'm really thrilled. It's been a great week."

Webb finished runner-up for the second year in a row after losing to Se Ri Pak in a playoff last June. Like Pettersen, she closed with a five-under 67 to end alone in second place at 13-under 275.

The 2001 champion, Webb made a 10-foot birdie putt at the 18th hole to pull within one shot of Pettersen, who had just finished up her birdie at the 17th.

She said the final round was nerve wracking and exciting all at once.

"That putt on the last at least gave Suzann a little bit to think about," said Webb.

Min, a rookie playing in her first major, rebounded from a bad front nine with four consecutive birdies from the 13th hole and finished in third place at 12- under 276. She had a 70 in the final round.

Lindsey Wright was another surprise after firing a final-round 66 Sunday to finish in fourth place at 10-under 278. She was a factor at the top of the leaderboard late into the day.

"It hasn't sunk in," Wright said of her surprising finish. "I'm so excited. It's a great confidence boost for me."

Angela Park (71) was fifth at nine-under 279, one shot ahead of Lorena Ochoa, Paula Creamer, Sophie Gustafson and Brittany Lincicome.

Annika Sorenstam had a 71 and finished nine shots off the lead at five-under 283. The three-time McDonald's LPGA winner was playing for just the second time since returning from a back injury.

Michelle Wie's troubles continued in the form of a final-round 79. Playing with an injured wrist that forced her controversial withdrawal last week, she finished at 21-over 309 -- in last place out of the 84 players who made the cut.

MORE TO FOLLOW.

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American Idol Betting Season 6 Strategies  

It's that time of year folks.  Betting on American Idol Season 9.  And we have plenty of American Idol Season 6 strategies appearing below.  With the Top 24 finalists revealed, online gambling sites will be offering betting odds on each of them, including MySportsbook.com.

No other “event” has been growing as fast as wagering on American Idol. It has turned into a huge betting event with reasonably high limits and all sorts of profit-making potential for sharp bettors. Last year, MySportsbook.com experienced unprecedented traffic as a result of the American Idol betting craze.

Every week there will be odds to win American Idol, various elimination props and contestant versus contestant match-ups at the MySportsbook.com website.

Whether a fan of America’s top-rated show or watching only because of a wife or girlfriend, here are some of basic strategies to use when betting American Idol.

Odds to Win

There are a few things to consider when looking for the right win bet. First off, remember that this bet is for the long haul. Many people make the mistake of picking the performer who sang the best the previous week. This strategy leads to an underlay situation – betting a price, which is less than what it should be.

All Idol contestants struggle at some point in the competition, so you should always look for value. In last year’s competition alone, two performers who had some of the best performances early in the series were subsequently bet down to low prices - Lisa Tucker and Ace Young. After just a few weeks, Tucker had already been eliminated, while Young quickly became a huge long shot to win America’s largest talent search.

A better strategy is to look for performers who don’t necessarily get the praise from the judges, but show flashes of the talent necessary to go the distance.

Another important thing to remember when betting any contestant to win is the demographic breakdown of the voters, the viewing public and potential future CD purchasers. Unlike sporting events, American Idol is not decided on the field of play – it’s decided by the American public under the guiding influence of the shows producers.

Understand that the great state of Alabama has a mighty edge when it comes to American Idol. 

Therefore, to be successful betting on American Idol, put any personal opinions or prejudices aside and think like the majority of the voting public. Remember that the typical voter is young, female and quite often, Southern.

If a contestant cannot appeal to this demographic, no matter how much talent he or she possesses, they’ll struggle for votes. Looks, demeanor and charisma are extremely important. And it’s no coincidence that every Idol winner so far has hailed from a Southern state.

Elimination Props

Every week MySportsbook.com anticipates offering a prop on who’ll be eliminated from the show each Wednesday night. A suggestion to handicap this is to gauge an overall feel for who’s the least popular contestant left in the competition. Generally the least popular performers have recently appeared in the bottom three and will have been the target of repeated criticism from the judges.

Last year, resources included dialidol.com and votefortheworst.com. Dialidol.com measures the volume of each contestant’s voting line. While by no means a perfect science, it does give a good indication of who is generating votes and who isn’t. Meanwhile, votefortheworst.com is a site that attempts to build support for the worst competitor to keep them in the competition for ‘entertainment’ value. The site has a proven track record of keeping performers around who most feel should have been voted off a long time ago.

Contestant vs. Contestant Match-ups

The best strategy for doing well on match-ups is to assess how close either of the contestants is to being eliminated. If neither is expected to be voted off of the show in the coming weeks, the value is almost always on the underdog. If both are expecting an imminent exit in the near future, the favorite in the match-up might offer value.

Watch for American Idol betting odds on each of the contestants shortly and good luck with these American Idol betting strategies.

To visit this online sportsbook got to MySportsbook.com - this sportsbook accepts credit cards.

Academy Award Betting Odds for Best Picture Offer Great Value

If there is any category that is not an obvious win for any one nominee in this year's Academy Awards, it would be for Best Picture.  Sure the Departed is a 5/7 favorite, but that's hardly anything when we look at Helen Mirren and her "out-of-reach" 1 to 40 odds (which means you would win a whopping $1 for every $40 bet).

For value, take a look at MySportsbook.com Oscars betting odds on my personal favorite, The Queen - a remarkable 12 to 1 long shot.  The film hasn't won any pre-awards for Best Picture (compared to The Departed and Little Miss Sunshine), but there is a tremendous following and it is a strong enough film to warrant a surprise win.

TV Guide advises Oscar watchers should be cautioned not to discount the  drama "Babel" with its strong social themes about overcoming communication gaps among people of different cultures.

"While 'Babel' lost several guild awards to 'Sunshine' and 'Departed,'  it still enjoys loyal support, and historically Oscar voters favor dramas with social messages over comedies like 'Sunshine' and violent crime movies like 'Departed'."

"It hasn't done well in the guilds, which means there isn't much industry support," said Tom O'Neil of awards site TheEnvelope.com, "But several critics are expecting it to win, and that gets my attention." Babel had 7 to 2 odds at press time.

Who is to say independently produced Little Miss Sunshine won't be this year's Crash.  Last year, Crash won for Best Motion Picture, shocking those who bet on gay cowboy flick, Brokeback Mountain, as the favorite to win. 

To visit this online sportsbook got to MySportsbook.com for all your Sportsbook accepts Visa needs.