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The 2012 March Madness betting tournament is quickly approaching, as selection Sunday is less than a week away. As we edge closer to the greatest playoff tournament in sports, handicappers, can’t help but wonder, which conferences will have the most talent represent them? Today, for your NBA trade deadline pleasure, we will be looking at few conferences, which by all accounts, should be well depicted starting on March 13^th. Here is a preview of the conferences with the most teams in March Madness.

It remains unclear what the thought process is behind the NCAA creating each March Madness bracket. However, by all accounts, the two conferences with the most teams in the tournament should be the Big East and the Big 10. Over the last two years, both conferences have transitioned nicely into multi dimensional units, as they show fans and critics alike, that they can be more then just football conferences. The Big 10 in particular has really become a complete conference, as schools such as Ohio State, Michigan and Michigan State and Wisconsin, show, that they are putting as much effort into basketball as they do for football.

As of this writing, the latest projections we have, suggests, that a total of seven of the 12 teams to make up the Big 10 will be participating in this year’s tournament. The bookie software locks for the tournament, are obviously the four schools we just mentioned. Ohio State and the two Michigan schools, found themselves entrenched in a three way tie for the regular season crown. The trio shared an identical record of 13 and five in conference play. Wisconsin on the other hand, narrowly missed making the championship a four way tie, as they finished the regular season with a conference record of 12 and six. By all accounts, Wisconsin can still be given the highest seed of any Big 10 school, if they win the college basketball betting Big 10 Championship this week.

While the Big 10 turned heads, by becoming a more competitive basketball conference then anyone could have imagined, the Big East made sure, that this season was similar to last season. For those unfamiliar, last year, the Big East was the class of the NCAA, as 11 of 16 teams made it to the March Madness tournament. This season, only nine are expected to be named to the Madness, as a couple of schools have struggled. Two schools that may not make the cut are the Connecticut Huskies and Pittsburgh Panthers, two schools that were ranked first and second in the conference, as recently as the preseason.

Connecticut has struggled mightily this year, in what most would call a Championship hangover, after winning the National Title for 2011. This would be an inaccurate description of the Huskies struggles, as they started the season off going 15 and two, before Head Coach Jim Calhoun became ill. Once the legendary coach left the program, the rails so to speak fell off the program. Stars such as Jeremy Lamb appear more focused on their NBA draft ranking then helping the team succeed. Meaning, the upcoming Connecticut v West Virginia game, can cause all sorts of problems for the losing team, while maintaining uncertainty for the winning team, on their bid for a March Madness berth.

This is the final week in college basketball betting regular season play, as every conference in division one enters into the conference tournament. In less than two weeks, fans, media, bloggers, and sportsbook odds makers alike, will attempt to determine who the National Champion will be in the March Madness betting tournament. With only two weeks left to form an opinion, several colleague writers are posting articles about what teams are on the bubble and who would be positioned where. Today, we’ll be looking at which teams would make up the four first place teams and who we think stands the best shot at winning March Madness in the beginning of April.

If the tournament were to start right now, the four number one seeds, would be Kentucky, Syracuse, Michigan State and Duke. Representing the SEC and the Big East, Kentucky and Syracuse have been the class of NCAAB Division One ball for the entire season. The big three of Anthony Davis, Doron Lamb and Terrence Jones leads Kentucky, as they have a 28 and one record in 29 games this season. The trio is expected by both themselves and by the handicappers across the NBA to be the top three picks in this coming draft.

On the other hand, the 29 and one Syracuse Orange, find themselves in the second seed in the final AP poll heading into the conference tournaments. In our opinions, the selection of placing Syracuse second and Kentucky first seems kind of odd for a couple of reasons. Firstly, Syracuse has a more veteran lineup, as basically all of their starters have been with the program for the last two to three years. Conversely, Kentucky is a factory in the sense that the majority of their players the last handful of seasons has attended the school for a year or two then entered the bookie software NBA. In theory, the NCAA is better served having a veteran riddled roster atop the standings, because they are by all accounts the better team. The other reason Syracuse should be number one in the country, is because of their schedule. There is a huge difference, between running a gauntlet filled with Connecticut, Georgetown, Notre Dame, and Louisville, then there is facing Florida, Vanderbilt, LSU, and Alabama. That’s not to say the latter schools aren’t good, but rather not as strong as the Big East.

If the tournament started today, Kentucky and Syracuse along with Michigan State and Duke would all be the top seeds in each of the four brackets. Syracuse and Michigan State would be two of the combined 16 teams slated to enter the tournament from either the Big East or the Big 10. With this being the case, bettors may be wise to pick a Syracuse v Michigan State final, as both programs appear to be hitting their stride at the right time. Michigan State in particular has come on strong, as their 24 and five record has seen them earn every win this season.

The Dallas Mavericks turned more than a few heads when they knocked off the two-time defending NBA champions in a four-game sweep, made easy work of the Oklahoma City Thunder in the Western conference finals, and then stole a crucial road game from the Miami Heat in game two of the NBA finals. Dallas looked much more mentally tough, and their ability to score at will in late rallies and improbable comebacks made them a true contender for an NBA sports betting title five years after they fell to the Heat in their first championship appearance. But the one thing that has become apparent in the finals is that this Mavericks’ team could really use another pure scorer to match up alongside Dirk Nowitzki, something that the team has really struggled without.

The Mavericks are built under a solid structure, which relies on one superstar player elevating his level of play and the rest of the team getting the job done around him as a unit that is firing on all cylinders. To this point Dallas has done that with Shawn Marion and Jason Kidd helping out Nowitzki in the starting lineup, while veteran Jason Terry and JJ Barea come off the bench to provide the secondary scoring that the system relies on so much from its reserves. Tyson Chandler is easily the best center in franchise history, but there is one piece missing in the form of another pure scorer that can fire almost at will and light it up to take some of the pressure off of Nowitzki. The way that they have played the game ahead of the 2011 Belmont Stakes betting race, the Mavericks rely on Nowitzki getting the job done and a spark off of the bench, and when one of those has failed so to has Dallas.

The Heat have an obvious difference in the fact that either Lebron James or Dwayne Wade can handle the ball and clutch situations, and with all of the attention and pressure on them the role players and reserves have more room to breath and play with more confidence. That helped Mario Chalmers and company succeed through the first three games of the finals, and has been what has cost Dallas in its two sports betting bonus losses.

At least a few times Nowitzki has clearly been animated when confronting Marion or Terry off of missed opportunities, and with Peja Stojakovic so streaky at his age he cannot be relied on with any consistency. Kidd has always been more of a facilitator than pure scorer, and while Chandler could play a bigger role under the basket he hasn’t gotten enough touches to showcase his skills against a Miami team that is lacking big men. The Mavericks could definitely use another pure scorer to compliment Nowitzki when Terry isn’t playing at that elite level, but for now Dallas will have to make due with what they have as their pursuit of an NBA pay per head title continues.

While much was made about the Oklahoma City Thunder’s talent and depth heading into the Western conference finals, most online sports betting experts didn’t anticipate what the pressure of such a big stage would do to a young team, and how much that would show against a strong and determined Dallas Mavericks’ unit. After their remarkable game four comeback that gave them a three-games-to-one series lead, there is no denying just how powerful this Mavericks’ team is, and their seven-foot All-Star forward is the biggest sports betting bonus reason.

Nowitzki has always been a menace to defend, with his size, quickness, and long-range shooting ability one of the most unstoppable arsenals in the association today. Whether he is crashing the paint down low, beating his defender off of the dribble, or stepping up and launching a three-ball from downtown Nowitzki has established himself as one of the game’s top superstars, and he has taken his play to another level this postseason. As if it wasn’t enough that he dropped 48 against the Thunder in game one, including setting an NBA scores record by nailing each of his 24 free throw attempts, No. 41 added another 40 to lead Dallas back from down 15 points with five minutes to go in the fourth quarter to steal game four in overtime. Unlike in past postseasons when he was criticized for not being able to perform under pressure, Nowitzki is getting the job done in 2011, but this is about much more than just one sports betting player.

The Mavericks have one of the most experienced and deepest teams in the association, if not the deepest, and it is really showing through in the playoffs. The two-time defending NBA champion Los Angeles Lakers couldn’t match up, and now it is Oklahoma City that is paying the price. Beyond Nowitzki, Dallas boasts arguably their top option at center in franchise history with Tyson Chandler closing down lanes and dominating the paint on both ends of the floor. That has opened up more room for Nowitzki, and made things easier for him on the boards which in turn has left him with more energy on offense. Veteran guard Jason Kidd has been the perfect ball distributor, and his experience has helped the younger players emulate his playing style. That is the most obvious with young JJ Barea, who has been incredible off of the bench, while Jason Terry has been the team’s best scorer out of its reserves. Shawn Marion and DeShawn Stevenson add even more pace to the starting lineup, while Peja Stojakovic has found his pay per head stroke once again from beyond the arc.

While Dallas has come together as a team and looked dominant in the series so far, the Thunder have struggled with consistency and haven’t been able to match the Mavericks’ depth. Down three-games-to-one heading on the road the series is all but over for Oklahoma City, and it is now only a matter of how long they can hold on before a much more powerful Dallas team closes out the series ahead of the 2011 Belmont betting.

Online Preakness betting players will be looking for a surprise on Saturday in Baltimore, and when it comes to UFC betting, some players will be doing that as well for the main event of UFC 130, which takes place next weekend in Las Vegas. Even though lightweight champ Frankie Edgar’s third fight with Gray Maynard has been cancelled due to injury, the light-heavyweight tilt between Quinton “Rampage” Jackson and Matt Hamill should be entertaining.

UFC Betting – Saturday, May 28^th, 10:00 PM ET

Jackson (31-8) is looking for another shot at the 205-pound belt, a title he once held, but more importantly, he’s looking to prove he can still be a factor after a couple of disappointing efforts. Jackson looked terrible in a loss against Rashad Evans after a break of almost 15 months because he was filming “The A Team”, and then he didn’t deserve to be awarded the victory in a bout against Lyoto Machida in November. But UFC betting players know that when he’s motivated and in top shape, Jackson can rumble with anyone on the planet, and at 32 years old, he still has a lot to offer in the octagon.

Hamill (10-2), known as “The Hammer”, has never been able to make that leap to elite in the 205-pound division, but he came through the ranks of the “Ultimate Fighter” show, making to the semifinals, and he ended up beating his coach in the third season, Tito Ortiz, in his last fight. Hamill has improved his stand-up skills since coming into the UFC, but his bread-and-butter is his wrestling, which he uses to control his opponent. Hamill has moved past his hearing disability, which garnered him a lot of attention when he broke into the UFC, and now he’s a legitimate threat, but he’ll have his hands full against Jackson next Saturday.

Your price per head bookie will tell you that Jackson is a -280 UFC betting favorite in this contest, while Hamill comes in at +220, and this fight all depends on which “Rampage” we’ll see. Look for the old “Rampage” to shine through in this fight as he’s heard the critics who say he’s done, and the 205-pound division has passed him by, and he’ll be out to make a statement. Hamill will be game, and he’s one of the top second-tier fighters in the light heavyweight division, but Jackson is on another level when he is motivated. Hamill’s wrestling may not even work against Jackson, who also has a background in wrestling, and he may be bigger than Hamill, which makes him tough to bring down. It’ll be a good fight, but lay a  sports bet on Quinton “Rampage” Jackson.

The Chicago Bulls surprised more than a few online sports betting fans when they picked apart the Miami Heat en route to an impressive 103-82 game one dismantling on Sunday night, setting the tone for their Eastern conference final series. Few projected that Chicago would come out with such a dominant effort in the series opener, but it will mean little if the Bulls are unable to match that intensity and wrap up the first two games with a perfect home record intact. MVP Derrick Rose and a stellar defense has fans in the Windy City believing that they won’t have to rely on their MLB betting franchise as their only hope for this summer, but they will need to keep the momentum going in game two on Wednesday night.

Rose finished with 28 points and six assists in the win, but it was the way that the Bulls settled down in the second half and focused on their game plan that made the biggest difference. Chicago outscored the Heat by 21 points in the second half, and limited their turnovers down from eight in the first half to just one in the second half. Luol Deng finished with 21 points and seven assists, but just as impressive was his four steals and strong play at the defensive end. It became fairly obvious as the game progressed that the Bulls were going to continue to allow Chris Bosh to get open looks underneath with Carlos Boozer man-to-man, while forcing the issue with Lebron James and Dwayne Wade on the perimeter to keep Miami’s top two stars from getting going. The game plan worked to perfection with James and Wade combining for just 33 points compared to 30 from Bosh, but that didn’t make up the 21-point difference when the pay per head night was over.

Heading into game three it will be very important for the Bulls to make sure that James and Wade don’t get to that elite level they played at when Miami made little work of the defending conference champion Boston Celtics in the second round. A game that was tied at haltime turned into a blowout in Chicago’s favor, and it will be just as important for them to carry that momentum over and make sure that the Heat’s scorers don’t turn it up to that level. Although it would just be a single loss in terms of actual numbers, the Bulls will not want to head onto the road off of a loss with the confidence back on the side of Miami. The key will be keeping the Heat’s stars isolated on the outside and not allow them to penetrate with good ball movement. Chicago got the job done in the opener, but how game two goes will be crucial to the outlook of the series before it shifts to South Beach before the Preakness Stakes betting race.

In what many thought would be the 2011 Eastern conference final series, the Miami Heat are proving that they can get the job done even earlier than expected against the Boston Celtics. The Heat have shown their strength and determination to take a three-games-to-one series lead with Monday’s 98-90 overtime game four win the latest turn in the set, and have now earned three straight chances to put the defending conference champions down. All year the criticism has been about how Miami’s big three would not be able to get the job done on their own, but the trio of Lebron James, Chris Bosh, and Dwayne Wade have responded by showing Boston why you can never say never when the online sports betting odds are down.

The big three combined for 83 of the Heat’s 98 points in their game four win, silencing an almost stunned Celtics’ crowd that had been used to watching its team dominate over the past couple of years at home. That total was the highest-ever combined in a playoff game, as it accounted for 84.7 percent of their points. It wasn’t just that James, Wade, and Bosh put up numbers, it’s the way that they have done it that has made the biggest difference in the NBA scores. That trio shot an outstanding 79.7-percent from the field in game four, and accounted for 77.8-percent of the team’s rebounds after grabbing 34 of the 45 total boards. They scored the final 31 points for the team, and took the final 20 shots overall including all seven in the extra frame. Those offensive numbers undoubtedly put the pressure on the Celtics’ stars, and may have gotten into their mindset as Miami shut them down through the final frame to force overtime.

Boston had shot over 44-percent from the field through the first three quarters, and made the most of each of their possessions. The offense failed in the final two frames however, as the Celtics shot under 30-percent in the fourth quarter and overtime on jump shots in half court situations. Paul Pierce managed to scored 27 while Ray Allen dropped another 17, but it wasn’t enough as Kevin Garnett and Rajon Rondo really struggled. The reason for Rondo’s poor play was obvious with his arm in a sleeve after he dislocated his left elbow in the Celtics’ game three win, but Garnett’s struggles were a concern as he attempted just a single shot from the post and didn’t score a single point in the paint after scoring 10 from there in game three.

Nobody projected that the Heat’s stars would be able to dominate the series the way that they have, with many pay per head prognosticators projecting that it would come down to a battle of the reserves to decide the series. But Miami’s big three has taken the series in their own hands and gotten the job done so far, and that has them rising above the criticism and one win away from a berth in the conference finals to leave the MLB betting Red Sox as Boston’s only spring hope.

Bettors work out all sorts of theories and systems when it comes to maximizing their profits. Most of these systems are failed attempts at making some kind of sense in a world of utter randomness. Some of them do make more or less valid points though. One such theory is the zig-zag theory concerning NBA playoff betting. According to the zig-zag theory, the team that wins a game is likely to loosen up and to hit complacency, while the loser of the last contest will look to dig deeper, to find solutions and to improve by making significant changes. The idea is not a bad one at the core, the only problem is that if often blows up. It is still significant enough that bookies take it into account as well. That’s the reason why you’ll often see the weaker of two playoff teams favored at the books, going home after falling into a 0-2 hole on the road. The Knicks for instance have just lost both of their games in Boston, but they certainly look like they can prevent a sweep and since they’re returning to New York for game 3 to enjoy home-court advantage, they will probably be quoted as favorites.

As said above, despite its potential, the zig-zag theory doesn’t really hold water because it’s full of holes every step of the way. While it generally holds up when two teams of approximately equal strength play (like last year’s finals between the Celts and the Lakers), it blows up when a strong team plays a weaker one. Last year, the Atlanta Hawks played the Milwaukee Bucks in the first round of the playoffs. The see-sawing effort level was reflected nicely in the results of that series. Once they met the Magic in the second round though, they got swept out, going 0-4 SU as well as ATS. Apparently, while the see-sawing in effort may still be there during the first 2-3 games of the series, the level of talent is a difference maker that the extra effort on the part of the underdog simply can’t offset. The bottom line: while there may be some tendency to zig-zag in such series too, it’s suppressed by the difference in talent level, and therefore it never shows up in the results.

Other times the zig-zag theory gets tossed out the window on a pricing mistake on one of the teams involved. Last year, the Boston Cetics finished the regular season with a less than stellar 27-27 SU run. That misled many bookies who then proceeded to sell the Celts short. They went 11-3 ATS in their first 14 playoff games against quality opponents like the Cavs, the Magic and the Heat. They were obviously taking it easy during the final stretch of the regular season, only to turn the switch on in the playoffs. Be careful when you base your playoff betting on this theory: if you do it blindly, you only bet on a 50-50 proposition and that’s the best case scenario.

What the efficiency of the method boils down to is the bettor’s ability to spot match-ups in which the theory is likely to work, and series where it is not. Make sure you do not overestimate the home court advantage either: it’s already factored into the bookie’s lines, so its significance is dwarfed by other factors, such as a team’s ability to perform well on the road, in a hostile environment. Teams that manage to cover spreads on the road are your biggest potential money-makers.

Take your NBA playoff betting online. Online bookmakers offer nice bonuses and poker rake rebate-like loyalty deals which add up in the long-run. They also feature forums where – much like in the various online poker forums – players can discuss odds, and share betting system tips.

One of the most highly anticipated series’ of the 2011 NBA playoffs opening round is the battle between the fourth and fifth seeds in the Western conference, as the Oklahoma City Thunder clash with the Denver Nuggets in the most evenly matched series. That held true in the opener as game one went down to the wire, before a controversial call tipped the series in favor of the higher seed. Kendrick Perkins got his hand on a rebound after Russell Westbrook’s jumper hit the rim, deflecting the ball in with 1:06 remaining the push the Thunder ahead 102-101. Several players thought that basket interference would be called and the shot would be waved off, but the officials did not respond and the eventual game-winning basket stood. That caused a ton of controversy to open the series, as Oklahoma City took the early series lead.

Denver had the chance to take back the betting lead on the next possession, but Kenyon Martin couldn’t hit a jumper and the Thunder capitalized by extending their lead on the next possession. Westbrook made his way across the court and hit another two of his 31 points to clinch the three-point victory, capping off a big night for Oklahoma City’s biggest two stars. He and Kevin Durant combined for 72 in the victory, as both players scored more than they did in any game of last year’s opening round against the two-time defending NBA champion Los Angeles Lakers. Their presence on the score sheet could very well be considered development in their game, but some of that has to be attributed to the presence of a couple of veterans in their lineup, none bigger than Perkins. The Nuggets’ defense pressed hard as the final minutes of the fourth quarter winded down, keeping Denver from hitting their final five shots. An argument can be made that their hard work helped them create their own sports betting bonus luck, and that has set the tone for the rest of the series.

That tip in the final pay per head minutes was all of the talk after the game, as head coach George Karl remained furious about the non-call. The Nuggets’ coach talked about how there were several calls that were questionable, but admitted that there was nothing that they could do to stop it but play better in game two. There is no question that Denver will want to make sure that they earn the road split to avoid falling behind two-games-to-none before heading back to the Mile High. The Nuggets are without a superstar to match the two that play for Oklahoma City after trading Carmelo Anthony at the deal, but they did get an All Star effort from Nene in the loss. Denver’s key big man registered 22 points and eight rebounds to lead the team, but will need more time for them to have a chance to win on the road. The Nuggets were one of the highest scoring teams during the regular season, but will need to regain their touch after controversy played a role in them conceding game one.

It’s that time of the year in the NBA again, when online sports betting sites solidify their odds at the open of the postseason so that players can lay down their money on the team that they think will go all the way. Long shots are unlikely in an association lacking parity beyond the rest of the four major professional sports in North America, and although there are always a couple of hot teams that players are tempted to bet on, usually what you see is what you get. The Los Angeles Lakers have represented the Western conference in each of the past three NBA finals including championships in the past two, while the Boston Celtics have made it to two of the last three including winning it all back in 2008. That experience will have the Lakers and Celtics back at the top of their respective conferences in 2011, setting up a rubber match to determine which of these franchises deserves to be considered the best of the past decade.

It was the Celtics that went all the way back in 2008 after the first big three were put together, a lineup that included Paul Pierce, Rajon Rondo, and Ray Allen. All three players complimented one another well, and the rest of the association had yet to catch up to the idea of putting these pay per head trios together. Now the Lakers have Kobe Bryant, Pau Gasol, and Ron Artest, the Heat have Lebron James, Dwayne Wade, and Chris Bosh, and the San Antonio Spurs have Tim Duncan, Tony Parker, and Manu Ginobili. The recipe for success is no secret, and after missing the finals two years ago when the Orlando Magic took their spot after injuries took their toll, Boston was back at the top a year ago. The Celtics pushed the Lakers to seven games in the finals, but the loss of Kendrick Perkins led to their undoing in that deciding game. Boston bulked up with the additions of Shaquille O’Neal, Jermaine O’Neal, and Nenad Krstic in place of Perkins, and they feel those changes will give them the depth to go all the way.

The Lakers have stayed the course this season, and who can blame them after back-to-back NBA championships. Los Angeles will push around the rest of the west once again in the postseason, and although the Thunder seem to be next in line, they will need at least one more year to develop and acclimate Perkins into their lineup. With Bryant performing under sports betting bonus pressure in the postseason and a healthy Andrew Bynum, the Lakers have everything they need to go on another deep run.

While talent levels and depth can be compared, there is no making up for the experience that the Celtics and Lakers have achieved while working with the same core en route to championship appearances over the years. It is that experience that will separate Boston and Los Angeles from the rest of the pack this postseason, as they meet in the NBA finals for the third time in four years.