Bombers re-sign QB Brink

Football Betting Lines

02/13/2012 - Winnipeg, MB (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Winnipeg Blue Bombers re-signed quarterback Alex Brink to a new contract on Monday. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.

In eight games last season, including two starts, Brink threw for 1,023 yards and five touchdowns against four interceptions. Brink also rushed for 148 yards and six touchdowns.

"I am very happy about returning to the Blue Bombers where I am surrounded by great teammates and coaches," said Brink. "The opportunity I have in Winnipeg is one I'm excited to be a part of and will allow me to continue to get better as a quarterback in the CFL."

Sezshare Football Betting News

<< Jeremy Lin highlights NBA Players of the Week
New York, NY (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - New York Knicks sensation Jeremy Lin was further acknowledged for his surprising play on Monday, earning Eastern Conference Player of the Week honors for games completed through February 12. Oklah

<< Union adds MLS veteran Albright
Chester, PA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Philadelphia Union has signed MLS veteran defender Chris Albright, the club announced on Monday. Albright is a three-time MLS All-Star and has spent 13 seasons in the league with four teams. The 33-

<< Oilers ink Sutton to extension
Edmonton, AB (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Edmonton Oilers agreed to terms with defenseman Andy Sutton on a one-year contract extension Monday. Acquired on July 1 from the Anaheim Ducks in exchange for defenseman Kurtis Foster, the 36-ye

<< Baylor still women's No. 1, UConn second
New York, NY (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Baylor is again a unanimous choice as the No. 1 team in the Associated Press women's college basketball poll. The undefeated Lady Bears received all 40 first-place votes and a total of 1,000 points from

<< Smith, Malkin, Perron named NHL's 'Three Stars'
New York, NY (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Phoenix Coyotes goaltender Mike Smith, Pittsburgh center Evgeni Malkin and St. Louis left wing David Perron have been selected as the NHL's 'Three Stars' for the week ending February 12. Smith won eac

Not all flash: Kentucky's blue-collar defense sets it apart >>
Philadelphia, PA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - While it may appear that Kentucky head coach John Calipari comfortably plays the part of a New York stockbroker, cynics may believe he is a no-stone-unturned salesman more interested in the commodity's worth

Reports: A's land Cuban slugger Cespedes >>
Oakland, CA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Oakland Athletics and coveted Cuban outfielder Yoenis Cespedes agreed to terms on a four-year contract Monday, according to reports. The deal is worth $36 million and won't be officially announc

Volandri topples Montanes in Brazil >>
Sao Paulo, Brazil (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Italy's Filippo Volandri cruised to a straight-set win over seventh-seeded Albert Montanes on Monday in the first round of the $475,300 Brasil Open. Volandri won nearly 80 percent of his first-serv

NTRA Pre-season Polls released >>
New York, NY (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The National Thoroughbred Racing Association (NTRA) released a pair of pre-season 'Kick-Off' polls for the 2012 racing season. Performances are through Sunday, February 12. Game On Dude is first in the

NASCAR champ Stewart appearing on ABC television show >>
Daytona Beach, FL (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Reigning NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion Tony Stewart has done some acting during the offseason. Stewart, who captured his third Sprint Cup title last season, will appear on an upcoming episod

SPORTS BETTING - Tennis is an underrated and under-utilized bettors' sport.

Ten years ago, at just about this time, I called Alan Boston in Vegas and left him a voicemail that went something like this (abridged version): "Hey Alan, Chad Millman from ESPN The Magazine calling. I want to do a book about wise guys, you in?"

A couple weeks later I got a message back (abridged version): "I don't know, maybe," Boston said. "Call me and we'll talk about it. But not later today. I got $1,000 on Andre Agassi to win the French Open at 40-1, and he's in the finals."

Here's what happened next (abridged version): Agassi won his tourney. Boston won his $40,000. I wrote sportsbook.

In the ten years since, how much has been wagered on the big-time tennis events? Put it this way: The Nevada Gaming Commission doesn't even track the number year by year because it's so small.

"Tennis makes up about one-tenth of one percent of our take," says Lucky's bookmaking boss Jimmy Vaccaro. "The last big golf major we probably had $100,000 worth of bets. In tennis, we might have written two big tickets."

Tennis' lack of popularity amongst the American bettoratti is no surprise, really. For starters, the biggest sports betting holidays -- the Super Bowl, the NCAA tourney -- are must see TV. People, at least the degenerates I know, plan vacations around watching those events in Vegas sports books.

But Wimbledon? Doesn't exactly reel in the whales. "Seriously, it's the nuts as an event," says Boston. "But who even knows when it's on?"

Here's another reason that helps explain why golf gets traction, something I call "The Bubbe Theory." My Bubbe is pushing 95 and has cataracts so bad that, to her, even the most crystalline Chicago day is mostly cloudy. But she still listens to the Cubs games, and she still calls me in a fit if she disagrees with something Rick Telander writes in the Chicago Sun Times. She's a sports fan. If she doesn't know you, you're just filling a niche. And niche players, even historically good ones like Roger and Raf, don't drive betting volume. Only the highest profile names attract square money, which inflates wagering totals like a shot of saline to the lips. Bubbe, and the public, loved Agassi, tennis' last cross-the-rubicon, mainstream draw. She also has a crush on Tiger. She's given me standing orders to put a sawbuck on the big cat whenever I walk through a sports book (or mistakenly tap into one via my Internet machine.) That explains why the Masters is getting $100K in action at some books while the four tennis majors might not get that combined this year.

This isn't a case of tennis being a difficult sport to bet. In fact, in Europe, it's probably the second most popular sport for gambling after soccer. Granted, as the WSJ football betting last week and The Mag's Shaun Assael examined in even greater depth last year, that might be because gamblers across the pond see it as an easy game to fix. But it could also be because, over there it holds the kind of sway the big two do over here.

Street corners in Spain are peppered with public courts and kids doing their best Raffy impressions. In some war torn parts of Eastern Europe poverty-stricken kids view tennis as an escape route, like football or basketball here. A couple years ago The Mag's Lindsay Berra wrote a great piece about Belgrade's Jelena Jankovic, Ana Ivanovic and Novak Djokovic. They learned the game as kids while bombs were raining down on their homeland. They practiced in drained swimming pools. Not exactly Nick Bolletierri conditions.

In the United States, casual fans think tennis is played four times a year. But on the tightly packed European continent, national interest in homegrown talent runs deep every weekend. Of the ATP's current top 20 players, only two, tennis betting and James Blake, are American. Fourteen are from Europe, representing six different countries.

No wonder fans from Lisbon to Bhudapest get jacked up for the net game, whether it's Wimbledon or a low-level tourney like the Estoril Open in Portugal (congrats to Spain's Albert Montanes for winning that one, btw). Chances are good that someone representing their flag will not only be playing, but have a shot at winning.

And that's all any bettor can ask for.

To visit this sports book go to MySportsbook.com for all your football betting needs.