The media is no doubt jumping on the bandwagon.

Charitable Man, who will be ridden by jockey Alan Garcia, looked like a pretty good prospect for the Kentucky Derby when he romped to an 11 1/2 -length victory in his first race and then won the Futurity at Belmont in mid-September 2008. But a shin injury that required surgery dashed those hopes, meaning he couldn’t compete in any of the Derby prep races.

“It was frustrating because he’s so talented,” McLaughlin said.

The horse still had enough graded stakes earnings to qualify for the Derby, but McLaughlin and owner William Warren decided to hold Charitable Man out of the race when he didn’t run well in the Blue Grass Stakes in April, finishing seventh. When Mine That Bird came out of nowhere to win the Derby, McLaughlin acknowledged he was kicking himself for not taking his shot with Charitable Man. He said he won’t make that mistake again.

Certainly there many credible threats around for Charitable Man. However as the value propositions its hard to go past him.

Belmont Stakes 2009
The field

Post, Horse Jockey Odds

1. Chocolate Candy Gomez 10-1
2. Dunkirk Velazquez 4-1
3. Mr. Hot Stuff Prado 15-1
4. Summer Bird Desormeaux 12-1
5. Luv Gov Mena 20-1
6. Charitable Man Garcia 3-1
7. Mine That Bird Borel 2-1
8. Flying Private Leparoux 12-1
9. Miner’s Escape Lezcano 15-1
10. Brave Victory Maragh 15-1

Betting Lessons

So you want to bet on the 2009 Belmont Stakes? Here’s some free advice – don’t. Now that might seem a strange statement on a website such as this, but the single most important piece of advice any professional gambler can offer anyone in their expert field is “don’t swim with the sharks”.

Of course not many let those words pass their lips. The livelihood of any professional gambler is significantly dependent on less-skilled people playing in the same swimming pool. Be very clear that sports betting, like poker, is skill-based gambling with an element of luck, not the other way around.

So why do I offer these sage words of wisdom before the 2009 Belmont Stakes? Quite apart from the fact I’m a really nice person, I know that human nature will dictate that for every ten people who will read the opening paragraph and vow never to bet on a sporting event again, there will be at least a hundred who will quite happily ignore me. That’s fine, no-one likes been told what to do and if I am really honest your ignorance is my bliss. But if you are going to be one of those hundred, you might like to keep reading.

Sports betting is no different to any other walk of life where highly skilled people operate. They may work for a bookmaker, setting prices for their paymasters contributing to their profit. Or they may be on the other side, unwavering in their quest to make money off whomever they can cross swords with. The point is there are people who make a living from sports betting who spend a large portion of their waking hours staying ahead of the pack. If you’re not one of them, what are you doing standing up there on the diving board?

This brings me to perhaps the second most-important piece of advice I can give you – be very clear on the reasons why you bet and your expectations from doing so. I mean, if you’re a recreational tennis player and you play a set against Roger Federer – do you have any hope of winning? You might win a point here and there, but at the end of the day, will you win or lose?

So why do you bet? If purely for fun, to add a bit of extra enjoyment when you watch a sporting event from the stands or on TV, good for you. Despite what do-gooders say, there is nothing wrong with recreational gambling, so long as you do not spend more than you can afford to lose. If you are a seasoned pro, what the hell are you doing reading this – you’re learning nothing new.

It’s the people in the middle who need to stop and think for more than a moment – those that think they can make money from the game without perhaps realizing the work required to maximize their chances of doing so. So to the people surfing the internet trying to pick up tips on how to be successful at sports betting, sit down and really ask yourself are you prepared to put in the required graft to be successful? If so, welcome to the club. But if you have any doubts, do it for fun – and don’t get stuck in the middle.

Good luck betting one of the most exciting spectacles events this year. Join Bodog to take part in the racing excitement.

Now that Preakness winner Rachel Alexandra is out of the Belmont Stakes and will likely return to facing the ladies in the Mother Goose Stakes at the end of June, the field is starting to take shape.

Nine three year olds will likely take on Kentucky Derby winner Mine That Bird in the final leg of the Triple Crown.

Jockey Calvin Borel returns to rider Mine That Bird, and the gelding likely will go off as the post time favorite on Saturday.

Does the gelding join the ranks of chalky winners of the race like Afleet Alex ($4.30), Empire Maker ($6.00), and Point Given ($4.70)?

Or will one of the other nine runners pull off the upset, and finish off the decade with another juicy winner like Da’Tara ($79.00), Birdstone ($74.00), and Sarava ($142.50)?

Here is a quick look at the probables for our Belmont stakes 2009 date:

Brave Victory: The colt is one of two to go for hall of fame trainer Nick Zito, who pulled off two of the biggest upsets in Belmont Stakes history with Da’ Tara last year and Birdstone in 2004, ending the Triple Crown aspirations of Smarty Jones and Big Brown. The colt made a good late run to finish third in the Peter Pan Stakes in his last start.

Charitable Man: This colt likely is going to be the “buzz” horse this week for the Racebook. The son of Lemon Drop Kid won the Peter Pan last out, earning a career top speed fig. He looks primed for a top effort here as he makes his third start of the year.

Chocolate Candy: The colt sat out the Preakness Stakes after checking in fifth in the Kentucky Derby. The colt was squeezed back coming out of the gate in the Derby. The colt is a three-time stakes winner and picks up jockey Garrett Gomez.

Dunkirk: The lightly raced colt was sent off at just 5/1 in the Kentucky Derby after an impressive second in the Florida Derby in his stakes debut. The $3.7 million purchase had a tough trip in the Derby and is eligible to move forward off that effort. He has quite the pedigree, by Unbridled’s Song out of the multiple stakes winner Secret Status.

Flying Private: After a 19th place finish in the Kentucky Derby, this colt made a belated late run to finish fourth in the Preakness Stakes, beaten four lengths for the top spot. The colt has won just 1 of 12 career starts but earned a career best speed figure in his Preakness effort and has enough pedigree to handle the 1 ½ mile distance of the Belmont Stakes.

Luv Gov: The colt was not a factor after a wide trip in the Preakness Stakes, which was his first start against winners. It took ten tries just for this colt to break his maiden. How this guy went off at 24/1 in the Preakness is a real mystery. It looked like he should have been 90/1.

Mine That Bird: His Kentucky Derby win was aided by a dream trip and a golden rail, but he proved it was not a fluke with a solid runner up finish in the Preakness Stakes. With Rachel Alexandra out, the gelding is reunited with Calvin Borel, which is a big plus as Borel seeks to become the first jockey to win all three Triple Crown races with more than one horse. The gelding is the likely favorite but one-run horses generally do not fare well in the Belmont Stakes.

Miner’s Escape: This colts the second of the duo that will be sent out by Nick Zito. The colt won the Federico Tesio at Pimlico last out in his first start against winners. The colt looks like he is heading in the right direction and has a long-winded pedigree, but will need some of that Zito magic to win.

Mr. Hot Stuff: This colt did not have the best of trips in the Kentucky Derby. Two back he was a good third in the Santa Anita Derby (G1), beaten just two lengths by the winner Pioneerof the Nile and a length behind the runner up Chocolate Candy. The colt only has one win in eight starts on his resume.

Summer Bird: After a good effort in a third place finish in the Arkansas Derby (G2) this colt was parked wide much of the trip in a sixth place finish in the Kentucky Derby. The colt gets a jockey upgrade to Kent Desormeaux, and the colt is a son of 2004 Belmont Stakes winner Birdstone.

Rachel Alexandra, available at a prohibitive +150 ,is the clear front-runner. A $2 bet on leading horse will payout a measly $3 in winnings come race day. Second favorites Mine that Bird and Pioneerof The Nile are someway off at +450. A $2 bet will return a respectable $9. Friesan Fire currently looks like a value play at +650 with a $13 profit on a $2 outlay. Other long shots you may want to keep an eye on include Papa Clem’s at +800 and Big Drama listed at +1000 (a return of $10 for a $1 outlay).

Headlining the action will be the middleweight title bout between Anderson Silva and Brazilian Jujitsu standout Thales Leites. It is the most one sided match-up on the card according to the odds makers. At +350 (Bet $100 for a $350 profit) Leites will have his work cut out. On top of being one of the worlds most dangerous strikers , Silva is also a black belt in Brazilian jujitsu. The middleweight champion is available at prohibitive -550.

Rua vs. Liddell is an epic match-up. Both men were at one time considered the worlds best. For years fans could only dream that one day these two legends would meet inside the octagon. After years of waiting that day has finally arrived. Its a vital bout for Liddell in particular. He is nearing the end of a illustrious career and he is running out of second chances. Rua too has unperformed in his last two outings and needs an impressive performance to remain relevant in the worlds toughest division. This is a much close match-up with Liddell favored at -190, Rua is the underdog at +150.

Full UFC 97 odds are listed after the jump. Don’t forget to head over to Betus and Sportsbook to bet UFC 97. This event will be held outside the US so a quick reminder. Place your UFC 97 bets head of time to avoid timezone or PPV time issues.

Odds for UFC 97

Anderson Silva -525
Thales Leites +350

Chuck Liddell -175
Mauricio Rua +150

Antoni Hardonk +210
Cheick Kongo -270

Luis Cane -250
Steve Cantwell +210

David Loiseau -125
Ed Herman +110

David Bielkheden +200
Mark Bocek -260

Brian Stann +120
Krzysztof Soszynski -150

Ryo Chonan -189
T.J. Grant +170

Jason Macdonald -115
Nate Quarry -115

Denis Kang -350
Xavier Foupa-Pokam +300

Matt Wiman +120
Sam Stout -150

Also featured on the card is the heavyweight slug fest between Cheick Kongo and Antoni Hardonk as well as the promising light heavyweight showdown between Steve Cantwell and Luiz Cane. The preliminary card is more than stacked with the likes of Denis Kang, Jason MacDonald and David Loiseau set to kick things off.

The Bud Shootout gets the racing action started every year as it presents an all-star type lineup that will go door to door restrictor plate racing in a non-points but highly lucrative and prestigious race. In previous year’s, you had to have won either a pole in the previous season, a championship, or the Shootout to be eligible to participate. The format change however will make this year’s Bud Shootout a record field. 

To bet on this race, simply head over to Betus.com sportsbook and open an account.

Dale Earnhardt Jr is widely known as the most popular driver in NASCAR, but his resume at restrictor plate races speaks volumes of his talent at the super speedways. Earnhardt Jr captured the 2008 Bud Shootout in his very first race under owner Rick Hendrick driving the number 88 Chevrolet. Earnhardt will again be a big favorite to win this Saturday night. Earnhardt has made his name on the super speedways much like his Dale Earnhardt his father and 7-time NASCAR Champion did at the big tracks. Jr has feel and understanding for the draft that gives him an advantage over the field.

Kyle Busch and Carl Edwards had breakout seasons last year as the two combined for 17 wins last year. Busch scored a big victory at Daytona in the Pepsi 400 on Independence Day weekend edging out Carl Edwards in a late caution that froze the field with Busch ahead by a matter of inches. Busch also captured victory at Talladega last season, a track that is very similar to Daytona.

There are a ton of other interesting names to keep an eye on as the season gets under way Saturday night. Two time Cup Champion Tony Stewart has always run well at Daytona and Talladega, but many question if he will have the quality equipment it takes to get up front at the big tracks since leaving the #20 ride at Joe Gibbs Racing to take control as owner of Stewart-Haas Racing. Stewart will be piloting the #14 Old Spice/Office Depot Chevrolet in 2009. Jimmie Johnson became only the 2nd driver in history to win 3 consecutive championships last season. Johnson owns the 3rd best average finish at the Super Speedway in his 14 career starts and he will look to get 2009 started off like 2008 ended.

Despite the proven veterans  in the race, many eyes will be on 18 year old Joey Logano. Logano has been hyped as the best young talent ever in NASCAR and he takes over the #20 Home Depot machine left by Tony Stewart. The 18 year old will be the youngest driver to ever start at Daytona International Speedway. Logano won his 3rd Nationwide race he entered last season only 4 weeks after stepping into the car after being allowed by NASCAR following his 18th birthday. Logano will try to make his name known again as many people are interested to see how long it will take the young phenom to run up front.

If you’re still looking a place to bet on the super bowl, we recommend heading over to Betus.com sportsbook.

It is no secret the Steelers have been led by the dominating performances of their defense this season. The Pittsburgh defense ranks 1st in 3 of the 4 major defensive categories while ranking 2nd in the other which is rushing defense. Pittsburgh held opponents to a mere 13.9 points and 237 yards of total offense on average this season and they will now look to shut down a high power Arizona offense. However, the Steelers offense has not got the credit they possibly deserve down the stretch. The Steelers only averaged 20 points per game this season which ranked in the bottom half of the NFL, but have come on strong in their last 3 games averaging 30 points per contest.

QB Ben Roethlisberger was plagued by interceptions for the majority of the season, but has yet to throw his first pick in the playoffs. Roethlisberger will need to continue to take care of the ball while directing the Pittsburgh offense down the field considering they will likely have to post some touchdowns in order to foil the Arizona offensive attack. Star wide out Hines Ward suffered a knee injury early in the AFC Championship, but is expected to play Sunday. However, Ward is not expected to be at a 100% and it will be very interesting to see if he can be effective on the field. Ward has been the primary receiver for the Steelers this season and if he is not able to go it will put a damper on the Steelers passing attack. Pittsburgh will also rely heavily on the legs of running back Willie Parker to control the ground game and keep the Arizona offense off the field. Parker racked up 146 yards in the first playoff game with San Diego and if he can get another similar performance the Steelers will be extremely difficult to defeat.

The Arizona offense has been surging through the post season led by veteran quarterback Kurt Warner. Warner has amassed over 4,500 yards and 30 touchdowns on the season and has been a true leader through the playoffs. Warner is trying to accomplish a feat similar to the year 2000 when he won a Super Bowl with the St. Louis Rams that was the first ever in franchise history. Warner will be trying to do the same when he attempts to earn the Cardinals their first Lombardi Trophy. If that is to happen, Warner will have to find the main target that has lifted them during the post season in breakout WR Larry Fitzgerald.

Fitzgerald has been unmatchable catching 5 touchdowns and breaking a playoff record with 419 receiving yards. Fitzgerald also became the first WR to catch 3 touchdowns in the first half of the NFC Title Game. The Steelers defense will be giving Fitzgerald a lot of attention in trying to shut down the star wide receiver and they may turn out to be good news for WR Anquan Boldin. Boldin had equal success with Fitzgerald during the regular season catching over 1,000 yards receiving and 12 touchdowns. However, during the playoffs Boldin has been very quite due to Fitzgerald making all the plays. Do not be surprised if Fitzgerald draws the most attention, opening the field up for Boldin to make some big plays as he did so often during the season.

Pick: Despite both teams success on offense lately, Super Bowl touchdowns are usually harder to come by. Take the under 46.5.

Margarito had his break out year in 2008, destroying Kermit Cintron in April and eventually getting past Miguel Cotto in July. The epic battle turned out to be one of the most entertaining fights in years and propelled Margarito to new levels in the boxing world. A win over legendary “Sugar” Shane Mosley will well and truly cement his place as one of the great champions in boxing today. If he fails to get past the veteran, his impressive knockout victory over Cotto will count for little. He is the commanding favorite with the odds makers. Betting lines for Margarito currently however around the -400 mark (Bet $400 for a $100 profit.) Here are the current betting odds as they stand at the time of posting.

Antonio Margarito vs. Shane Mosley Betting Odds

From Betus.com

*Margarito (-500)
*Mosley (+300)

*Over 10.5 Rounds   (-150)
*Under 10.5 Rounds (+120)

More betting props available for this match up including, “Round Betting” and  “Fight Outcome“.

From Sportsbook.com

*Margarito (-400)
*Mosley (+300)

Shane Mosley has been in the news a lot in the past month or so. Its unwelcome attention for a man who should be familiar with the dangerous outside distractions pose on ones performance. “Sugar” Shane is coming of a victory over Ricardo Mayorga. He is eight and one in his last nine fights. His only blemish for a the past four years has been a close decision loss to Cotto in 2007. He is yet to be knocked or stopped inside the distance. His resume speaks for itself, he has faced and beaten some of his generations greatest talents including  . There is no question, at his best he has the ability to outclass almost anyone.

Prediction: Shane Mosley is a man that has never shirked a tough task. He’s always faced the best competition at their prime, from lightweight through junior middleweight. However he is an aging superstar. Much like De La Hoya, his best days are behind him. He has the natural ability to compete at the highest level and he may be the superior boxer however the power, hunger and youth of Margarito wont be denied this Saturday.

Fight fans can be fickle, this is his best chance to capitalize on heat generated by his outstanding performance against Cotto. Another impressive performance this weekend should finally establish this long time contender as fan favorite and real Pay Per View draw. After the demise of De La Hoya, its just what boxing needs.

Ticket sales, PPV projections and media hype have all exceeded expectations. Now is Boxing’s time to shine. Antonio Margarito is one of the leading forces in boxing battle to remain relevant. This is one of the must watch fights of the year. It its half as good as Margarito vs. Cotto, its sure to be a success

Rashad Evans (12-0-1) too is coming of an unlikely run that has seen him defeat Stephan Bonnar, Michael Bisping and Chuck Liddell all within the past 2 years. The Team Jackson fighter remains undefeated and looks to be improving with each outing. His striking is slowly but surely evolving into a serious weapon while is wrestling remains his bread and butter.

Betting lines for the light heavyweight title match-up are extremely even. Here are the latest Forrest Griffin vs Rashad Evans odds from Betus.

Current Lines: Forrest Griffin (-130) vs. Rashad Evans (-110)

Latest fight odds courtesy of Betus.com sportsbook. Check them out if you’re looking to bet on this or any other match-up at UFC 92.

Its as close as it it gets. The odds makers cant split the two former champions.

Betting Lines: Rampage Jackson (-115) vs. Wanderlei Silva (-115)

Latest lines courtesy of Betus.com sportsbook. Check them out if you’re looking to bet on this or any other match-up at UFC 92.

Those of you who have followed MMA during the good old Pride FC days will be well aware that this really is one of the biggest and most interesting match-ups in the history of the sport. Both men are legends in MMA community and have been for years. They may not be as popular here in the US as say someone like Randy Couture but for the hardcore fan who has followed the sport from the very beginning this fight is truly is a historic moment.

Both their previous bouts ended in specular fashion. Their last meeting took place over 4 years ago at Pride 28: High Octane. A devastating series of knees and punches delivered by the then Pride middleweight champion left Jackson’s lifeless body handing on the ropes at the end of the second round. It was a powerful image that has since gone down in MMA history.

When these two combatants last met it was Wanderlei who had a clear edge in the betting.

Pride 28: Wanderlei Silva (-172) vs. Quinton Jackson (+162)

Some four years later it different story. Rampage went on to a successful career in the UFC becoming a defending champion along the way. While Wandelei had a rocky path in Japan before returning to UFC himself and going 1 and 1 inside the Octagon.

The big question going into this bout is Jackson’s mental state. He has had a complete breakdown after his upset defeat to Forrest Griffin early this year. He has a new team and new coaches. As a fighter he has improved considerably over the past 6 to 12 months, that is absolutely clear. But its matters outside the Octagon that will decide this bout. Is he training properly? Is keeping his weight down and is he listening to the right people? These are the factors that will decide this third and maybe final fight between these two men.

Andre will bring you his  complete breakdown of this match-up later this week. Stay tuned and don’t forget to subscribe to our feed.

Current Betting Lines: Georges St-Pierre (-165) vs. B.J. Penn (+140)

Latest lines courtesy of Betus.com and Sportsbook.com. Update: The main event is only hours away, head over to either of our two recommend MMA sports books to bet on this card.

The current GSP Penn odds are no doubt set to polarize the betting public and MMA fans around to the world. Looking at their past achievements and considerable talent a strong argument can be made for either fighter.

It may come as a surprise to some that GSP is such a big favorite against the very talented BJ Penn. The current Welterweight champion has improved considerably since their last meeting but the same can be said of B.J Penn.

The Hawaiian has demolished every fighter in front of him since his defeat to Matt Hughes in 2006. Jens Pulver, Joe Stevenson and Sean Sherk were all stopped inside the distance. As it stands Penn remains the +175 underdog while GSP is the clear -245 favorite.

The odds makers cant look past the dominant welterweight who has amassed a 6-1 record since his controversial split decision victory over Penn at UFC 58. A upset defeat to Matt Serra remains his only blemish in the last 4 years.

Cardio will always be an issue when BJ Penn enters the Octagon. This will be five round title fight for the championship. GSP will fight at his natural weight while Penn will have to bulk up to 170 lb.

“The Prodigies” performance against bigger opposition remains mixed. He holds impressive victories over Matt Hughes and Renzo Gracie however he has been defeated by Lyoto Machida, Matt Hughes and Georges St. Pierre.

According to several offshore representatives we’ve contacted betting on St-Pierre vs. Penn 2 is expected to reach record levels both in Las Vegas and offshore. It is projected to exceed the handle of Lesnar vs Couture could easily become the most bet on MMA fight in history.

UFC 94: St-Pierre vs. Penn 2 takes place on January 31st, the super bowl in Las Vegas. Head over to Sportsbook.com to bet on this fight or any of the match-ups at UFC 94.