Beilein confirms he's leaving WVU for Michigan

NCAA Basketball Betting Lines

04/03/2007 -

Michigan hired John Beilein to coach its men's basketball team, a week after he led West Virginia to the NIT championship.

Beilein told his players of the decision Tuesday at a team meeting in Morgantown, W.Va.

``It was just the right thing for me to do at this time,'' Beilein said outside the WVU Coliseum. ``There's never a good time to leave.''

Beilein, who took a downtrodden program to two NCAA tournaments in five seasons, takes over a Michigan team that hasn't made the NCAAs since 1998.

Beilein's West Virginia teams made deep runs in the NCAA tournament the previous two seasons and the Mountaineers beat Clemson 78-73 for the NIT title last week. WVU, which won 22 games during the regular season, felt slighted when it wasn't chosen for this year's NCAA tournament.

There will be high expectations at Michigan, which fired Tommy Amaker in mid-March after the Wolverines went to the NIT for the third time in four years.

Beilein went 104-60 at West Virginia, including 27-9 this year despite losing his top four scorers from a year ago. Only one other team in school history amassed more wins - a Jerry West-led team that lost to California in the NCAA championship game in 1959.

The 54-year-old Beilein, under contract through the 2011-12 season, was to earn at least $740,000 per season with annual increases of $20,000.

Wherever he's coached, Beilein has been a success, taking teams without great talent to five NCAA tournaments and six NIT appearances in 29 seasons. His 1-3-1 defense gives opponents fits and his offense ranked second in the country averaging 10.3 3-pointers this season.

In only one of his five previous coaching jobs has Beilein stayed more than five years. He spent nine years at LeMoyne, then five apiece at Canisius and Richmond before coming to West Virginia, where he recently completed his fifth season.

In 2005, after taking the Mountaineers to the NCAA regional finals, Beilein received a contract extension to derail a possible courtship from Virginia.

Last year North Carolina State came calling, but a $3 million buyout clause in Beilein's contract derailed negotiations.

It will cost Michigan $2.5 million to buy out Beilein at West Virginia, plus his salary, which could run about $1 million per season in a multiyear contract.

``I am excited about this new opportunity at Michigan,'' Beilein said. ``I wouldn't go there if I didn't think they could win a national championship.''

---

AP Sports Writer John Raby contributed to this report.

Copyright © 2005 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. The information contained in the AP News report may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without the prior written authority of The Associated Press.

Jazzspots NCAA Basketball Betting News

<< Gore has big goals to go along with big new contract with 49ers
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) -Frank Gore has some big goals to go along with his big new contract with the San Francisco 49ers. The Pro Bowl running back hopes to improve on his breakout campaign last season and top 2,000 yards in 2007.Gore finished 2006 as t

<< Mitchell asks union for interviews
NEW YORK (AP) -Former Senate Majority Leader George Mitchell finally asked to interview active baseball players as part of his steroids investigation and is awaiting a reply from the players' association.Union general counsel Michael Weiner said a M

<< Championship Gators return to rousing reception
GAINESVILLE, Fla. (AP) - Florida center Al Horford raised the NCAA trophy high above his head and greeted appreciative fans after the men's basketball team returned on a charter flight from Atlanta on Tuesday with their second championship trophy in

<< Knicks coach fined for criticizing officials
NEW YORK (AP) -New York Knicks coach Isiah Thomas was fined $50,000 by the NBA on Tuesday for questioning the treatment Stephon Marbury is getting from referees.Thomas criticized the officials after the Knicks' 103-94 loss to the New Orleans Hornets

<< Nets recall Mile Ilic from NBA Development League
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP) -The New Jersey Nets recalled rookie center Mile Ilic from the Colorado 14ers of the NBA Development League on Tuesday.Ilic will be out indefinitely after spraining his left ankle in the 14ers game against Sioux Falls on S

Championship game ratings up 16 percent from last year >>
NEW YORK (AP) -Florida's quest to repeat as NCAA champions was a hit with television viewers.Florida's 84-75 win over Ohio State on Monday night was watched by 13.59 million households, up nine percent from last year, when 12.31 million households t

Jones, Henry, union leaders all meet with Goodell >>
NEW YORK (AP) -NFL commissioner Roger Goodell and league officials met with Adam ``Pacman'' Jones Tuesday as the Tennessee Titans' cornerback attempted to avoid a long suspension following a series of arrests.Goodell and his staff also met with Cinc

Beilein leaving West Virginia for Michigan >>
It was planned to be a meeting where John Beilein told his West Virginia players how to prepare for offseason workouts. Instead, he told them goodbye.Beilein, who took the Mountaineers from mediocrity to two NCAA tournaments and an NIT championship,

Hawks guard Josh Childress out for season with foot fracture >>
ATLANTA (AP) -Hawks guard Josh Childress will miss the rest of the season with a stress fracture in his right foot.The team announced the injury Tuesday and said Childress, a first-round draft pick from Stanford in 2004, is expected to recover in fo

Heath: South Florida will win - and soon >>
TAMPA, Fla. (AP) -Stan Heath is undaunted by South Florida's lack of success in basketball. He's been associated with winning programs everywhere he's coached and is confident he can transform the Bulls into one, too.``This is a great opportunity fo

MySportsbook.com is a must-have for the smart veteran sports investor who enjoys following the odds almost as much as betting them. Simply put, no one offers more betting options and offers them faster than MySportsbook. This football sportsbook is known for its ability to set the early market odds on events without having to worry about weak lines. Professional players are well aware that getting a crack at the early betting line is worth as much as, and sometimes more than, huge bonuses or reduced prices. MySportsbook's fearless, yet smart bookmaking style is what keeps everyone watching, including most other sportsbooks.

This is also a great choice for those who just want to have a worry free, fun experience. The ownership’s motto is “Sweat the game, not the payout”. These are not just decorative words used to fill space on the homepage. MySportsbook aims to give their customers the fastest withdrawals in the industry. Payouts are processed within 24 hours by an online sportsbook that carries our A+ financial rating.

Those who enjoy proposition and future wagers consider MySportsbook.com a top choice. Smaller players who seek large bonuses would do better at their sister book, Sportsbooks.com.

To visit this online sportsbook got to MySportsbook.com for all your betting football needs.

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.