Warriors, Penguins, Cubs, Patriots lead US Sport title betting

AND then there were four.

Well, three, if you follow the popular belief the Toronto Raptors have no hope of beating the Cleveland Cavaliers in the NBA’s Eastern Conference finals.

The reigning NBA champion Golden State Warriors are still the hot favourite to go back-to-back with online bookmaker Bovada.lv at a +110 quote.

They have drifted ever so slightly thanks to a surprise loss in game one of their Western Conference final clash with the dangerous Oklahoma City Thunder.

The Thunder lead the series courtesy of a shock 108-102 result that saw Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook shoot a combined 17 for 51 from the field.

Westbrook did have a monstrous 19 point third term to bring the Thunder back into it after the Warriors had jumped out to a strong half time lead and he finished with 27 points, 12 assists and a Thunder playoff record seven steals.

But it was left to Durant, who scored 26 points, to go with 10 rebounds, three steals and three assists, to bury the dagger that killed off the Warriors’ assault.

The Thunder also smashed the Warriors on the boards, 52-44, with both Steven Adams (16 points, 12 rebounds) and Serge Ibaka (11 points, 11 boards) registering double doubles.

For the Warriors, two time NBA MVP Curry had a near triple double with 26 points, 10 rebounds and seven assists, Klay Thomson had 25 points and nine rebounds and Draymond Green had 23 points, but the Warriors were simply overcome by the Thunder’s barrage. It’s not often you could say something like that about this side.

The Cavs are breathing down the Warriors’ neck at +150, thanks to a dream run through the first two rounds of the playoffs – a pair of sweeps, 4-0, over both the Detroit Pistons and the Atlanta Hawks.

And they are not expected to be troubled by a Toronto Raptors side that has had to make it through two gruelling seven-game series just for privilege of challenging them.

If game one’s 31 point result is anything to go by, the Raptors are not far off being made extinct from the NBA playoffs by the Cavs.

That result would book Cleveland into the finals for the second straight season, giving them a chance to atone for last year’s losing campaign that was marred by injuries to both Kevin Love and Kyrie Irving and, of course, a superlative performance by the Warriors.

The dream match up is a Warriors vs full strength Cavs rematch, and would perhaps help answer the question of who is the real king of the NBA, Lebron James or Curry.

But hey, it might be neither of those two men. If the Thunder was to salute, imagine what that would do for the careers of dynamic duo Durant and Westbrook. Probably a lot for Durant, who is the alpha dog on a team that is often hamstrung by the ridiculously athletic guard’s sometimes petulant, sometimes poor play.

There is not long to go to find out who will playoff for basketball’s ultimate prize.

NBA title odds market:
Golden State Warriors (+110)
Cleveland Cavaliers (+150)
Oklahoma City Thunder (+375)
Toronto Raptors (+750)

Penguins favoured for National Hockey League’s Stanley Cup 2016

Just like the NBA, it is the pointy end of the hockey season, with the Pittsburgh Penguins owning favouritism over the Stanley Cup for 2016.

Only four teams remain, with the challengers St Louis Blues, the second pick at +225.

In a tight betting race, the San Jose Sharks are +325 and the Tampa Bay Lightning +425, all with online bookmaker Bovada.lv

The Pittsburgh-Tampa Bay series is tied at one game a piece after the Lightning shocked the Penguins on their home ice, recording a 3-1 win. But order was restored in game two – just. Over time was required, but the Penguins squared the series with a 3-2 result away from home. The series now shifts to Tampa Bay.

The Western Conference final is similarly split, with St Louis claiming its home opener, before conceding four goals to nothing in game two to give San Jose a sniff. The series heads to the Sharks’ home ice evenly poised.

2016 NHL Stanley Cup odds:
Pittsburgh Penguins (+175)
St Louis Blues (+225)
San Jose Sharks (+325)
Tampa Bay Lightning (+425)

Odds provided by Bovda.lv

2016 Major League Baseball World Series winners market

After a brilliant off season of recruiting and a stunning start to the season, the Chicago Cubs are the red hot +350 favourite to take out Major League Baseball’s highest honour. They are light years ahead of the next best in the betting, the Boston Red Sox.

Chicago Cubs (+350)
Boston Red Sox (+1000)
Washington Nationals (+1100)
New York Mets (+1100)
San Francisco Giants (+1200)
Chicago White Sox (+1400)
Toronto Blue Jays (+1600)
Los Angeles Dodgers (+1600)
Kansas City Royals (+1800)
Seattle Mariners (+1800)
Texas Rangers (+1800)
Baltimore Orioles (+2000)
St. Louis Cardinals (+2500)
Pittsburgh Pirates (+2500)
Cleveland Indians (+2500)
Detroit Tigers (+2800)
Houston Astros (+3300)
Arizona Diamondbacks (+3300)
Philadelphia Phillies (+4000)
Colorado Rockies (+4000)
Miami Marlins (+5000)
New York Yankees (+5000)
Los Angeles Angels (+5000)
Tampa Bay Rays (+6600)
Oakland Athletics (+6600)
San Diego Padres (+15000)
Milwaukee Brewers (+20000)
Cincinnati Reds (+30000)
Minnesota Twins (+50000)
Atlanta Braves (+100000)

Odds provided by Bovda.lv

2017 National Football League Super Bowl 51 Winner market

Despite deflate gate rearing its ugly head again, Tom Brady and the New England Patriots are still the favourite for next year’s NFL Super Bowl at this early juncture. The Seattle Seahawks are the only other team under +1000.

New England Patriots (+700)
Seattle Seahawks (+800)
Pittsburgh Steelers (+1000)
Green Bay Packers (+1000)
Carolina Panthers (+1100)
Arizona Cardinals (+1200)
Denver Broncos (+1800)
Cincinnati Bengals (+1800)
Minnesota Vikings (+2000)
Dallas Cowboys (+2000)
Indianapolis Colts (+2500)
Kansas City Chiefs (+2500)
New York Giants (+2500)
Oakland Raiders (+2500)
Houston Texans (+3300)
Baltimore Ravens (+3300)
Washington Redskins (+4000)
New York Jets (+5000)
Atlanta Falcons (+5000)
Chicago Bears (+5000)
Philadelphia Eagles (+5000)
Jacksonville Jaguars (+5000)
Buffalo Bills (+5000)
Los Angeles Rams (+6600)
Miami Dolphins (+6600)
San Diego Chargers (+6600)
Detroit Lions (+6600)
New Orleans Saints (+6600)
Tennessee Titans (+7500)
Tampa Bay Buccaneers (+10000)
San Francisco 49ers (+10000)
Cleveland Browns (+10000)

Odds provided by Bovada.lv