2011 Super Bowl XLV (45) Prop Bet: Blake Griffin vs. the Green Bay Packers

Leading up to the 2011 Super Bowl XLV (45) between the Green Bay Packers and Pittsburgh Steelers, we'll be taking a look at Super Bowl proposition betting, or more specifically, the fun or funny Super Bowl 45 (XLV) prop bets that you hear so much about. That includes props on the Super Bowl coin toss, Super Bowl halftime show, Super Bowl National Anthem, Super Bowl postgame Gatorade Shower dump and much more. Follow along on the Super Bowl sidebar to the right!

Some of the more intriguing Super Bowl prop bets are always the cross sport bets, such as the one featuring the soon to be NBA Rookie of the Year.

Who Will Have More Points on Feb 6th 2011 Money
Blake Griffin (Clippers vs. Heat)
Packers Points

On paper, this bet appears to favor the Packers. The standard team prop has the Packers over/under at 24 points in the Super Bowl. Blake Griffin is averaging less than that, at 23.0 points per game. Naturally, you should take the Packers, right?

Not so fast. While Griffin is averaging 23 for the season, the rookie has been even hotter lately. Griffin scored 32 points for the second game in a row after averaging 26.0 per game throughout the month of January. So, for those of you looking to bet on the Packers over/under, you could potentially give yourself a couple points of wiggle room if you like the under by pitting the Packers against Blake Griffin.

Then again, in Griffin's first meeting against the Heat, of course, he had 24 points. Which puts us back to square one.

The bottom line: we still think the Packers outscore Blake. The Clippers/Heat game could either be a chance for Griffin to showcase himself once again on a national stage with a huge game, or a could be a huge blowout in which the rookie doesn't play as much as he usually does. We're expecting a high-scoring Super Bowl and are sticking with the team on the football field over the player on the basketball court.

Coming Soon: 2010-11 Free NHL Picks

Though football has consumed almost all of our time these last few months, we've gotten a few inquiries about whether or not we would be betting on other sports.

Our first reaction was, holy crap! You mean there are other sports?!

Our second reaction was remembering that, yes, we used to bet on these other sports quite a bit. Our Free NBA Picks were once the bread and butter of this site (then again, so were stocks), but we've lost faith in our system over the last year and a half to the point that we are now proceeding with exceed caution in that department.

What you will start seeing... eventually... is some Free NHL Picks, which we've had in the past but not to the volume with which we plan on posting this season. You know... eventually.

We're letting the early season numbers work themselves out, but December should bring about our first puck action this year.

In the meantime, check out our friends over at The Hockey Program, who have all sorts of great hockey coverage to get your ready for our (eventual) 2010-11 batch of Free NHL Picks.

We plan on ripping off Lexus and having a December to Remember, so be sure to check back often (in November too!) as we help you earn a little Christmas bonus that your boss is too cheap to give out this year.

Will the Heat Win the 2011 NBA Finals?

Alright, Alright. So LeBron James didn't sign with the Knicks, instead opting to join forces with Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh in Miami. But the question now is, will the Heat win it all in 2010-11, even with, basically, three players?



Well, if the odds tell us anything, they have a chance. More like, the best chance. Check out the top four teams according to their odds to take home the NBA crown next year:



Miami Heat... 7/4

LA Lakers... 11/4

Orlando Magic... 10/1

Boston Celtics... 12/1

Of these, the Heat just don't quite belong yet. They will be able to build around the big three eventually, but the Lakers are the clear cut favorites in our minds, to win the NBA Finals by way of a three-peat. So take this opportunity, with the public pounding the Heat due to the recent buzz, to pound the Lakers for yourself.



View the latest point spreads and get ahead by signing up for the NBA picks at BetFirms.com.

It's Twitter Official: LeBron James is Going to New York

The NBA's most coveted Free Agent is going to be a New York Knickerbocker... according to Jared Dudley, who came up with the greatest way to get twitter followers since @thebuckychannel decided to join the fad.

So there you have it, LeBron James to the New York Knicks. You heard it here second.

Where Will LeBron James Land in Free Agency?

The biggest free agent period in the history of the NBA is underway, so what are the odds that LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, Chris Bosh or one of the other big free agent names lands with your favorite team?

Well, as a matter of fact, if LeBron James is your target, here are the odds that he lands in Chicago, Cleveland, Miami, New York or New Jersey:

Bulls

+300 (or 3 to 1)

Cavaliers

-200 (or 1 to 2)

Heat
+450 (or 9 to 2)

Knicks

+500 (or 5 to 1)

Nets

+700 (or 7 to 1)

Our guess? We like those +700 odds for New Jersey (soon to be Newark soon to be Brooklyn). It's close enough to the big city of New York and the life that comes with it, but more importantly, billionaire Russian owner Mikhail Prokhorov offers LeBron his best shot at becoming a global icon. That, and it's +700! Considering that nobody really knows what LBJ is thinking, why not go big or go home on this one?

One thing is for sure, it should be an interesting weekend!

Mock Lemon: 2010 NBA Mock Draft

In all of our World Cup Fever (more on that later), we have barely had time for our annual NBA Mock Draft. Well, fortunately we have come down from the high of correctly picking the United States to win Group C (more on that later), meaning it's time for our 2010 NBA Mock Draft (more on that now). Let's get straight to our picks, headlined by Kentucky's John Wall to the Wizards.

1. Washington Wizards: PG John Wall, Kentucky

2. Philadelphia 76ers: SG Evan Turner, Ohio State

3. New Jersey Nets: PF Derrick Favors, Georiga Tech

4. Minnesota Timberwolves: SF Wesley Johnson, Syracuse

5. Sacramento Kings: PF Greg Monroe, Georgetown

6. Golden State Warriors: C DeMarcus Cousins, Kentucky

7. Detroit Pistons: PF Al-Farouq Aminu, Wake Forest

8. Los Angeles Clippers: PF Ekpe Udoh, Baylor

9. Utah Jazz: SF Luke Babbitt, Nevada

10. Indiana Pacers: PF Ed Davis, North Carolina

11. New Orleans Hornets: C Cole Aldrich, Kansas

12. Memphis Grizzlies: SG Xavier Henry, Kansas

13. Toronto Raptors: PF Patrick Patterson, Kentucky

14. Houston Rockets: C Daniel Orton, Kentucky

15. Milwaukee Bucks: SF Paul George, Fresno State

16. Minnesota Timberwolves: C Hassan Whiteside, Marshall

17. Chicago Bulls: SF Gordon Hayward, Butler

18. Oklahoma City Thunder: SF Damion James, Texas

19. Boston Celtics: PG Eric Bledsoe, Kentucky

20. San Antonio Spurs: PF Kevin Seraphin, France

21. Oklahoma City Thunder: PF Larry Sanders, VCU

22. Portland Trail Blazers: SG James Anderson, Oklahoma State

23. Minnesota Timberwolves: SG Dominique Jones, South Florida

24. Atlanta Hawks: PG Avery Bradley, Texas

25. Memphis Grizzlies: SG Elliot Williams, Memphis

26. Oklahoma City Thunder: SF Devin Ebanks, West Virginia

27. New Jersey Nets: PF Gani Lawal, Georgia Tech

28. Memphis Grizzlies: PF Craig Brackins, Iowa State

29. Orlando Magic: SG Jordan Crawford, Xavier

30. Washington Wizards: SG Terrico White, Ole Miss

As always, we guarantee our mock draft to be 100 percent accurate at tomorrow night's NBA Draft. Check back for more coverage of the 2010 NBA Draft and 2010 World Cup here at Stock Lemon!

NBA Super Bowl XLIV: Pacers vs. Hornets

It's 2010 Super Bowl XLIV (44) mania, and every angle of every corner of every angle will be covered in the next couple of weeks by the real media. So what can we do in the blogging community? Make up more angles!

How about this: What if we somehow tried to predict who would win the Super Bowl based on the NBA counterparts in their respective cities? Makes perfect sense, doesn't it?

If Super Bowl XLIV were to be played by the NBA versions of the NFL teams participating in Miami, the Indianapolis Colts would be substituted for the Indiana Pacers while the New Orleans Saints would be replaced by the New Orleans Hornets. Still with us?

While the Hornets are probably (definitely) the better basketball team, how would the teams fare on the football field? Let's take a look at some of the key players on the rosters and match them up with their counterparts.

Indianapolis Colts/Pacers

QB Peyton Manning = SF Danny Granger

The unquestioned centerpiece of the team, providing a mostly offensive attack. Good enough to build a team around with the potential to be great.

RB Joseph Addai = PG T.J. Ford

Players who showed great promise and have since slowed down. The Pacers can't wait to unload T.J. Ford, and you might be surprised at how much the Colts may share that sentiment about Addai.

WR Reggie Wayne = SF Mike Dunleavy

Good players and often underappreciated. Dunleavy has had injury issues so it is difficult to really compare, but when these two are healthy they must be accounted for. Neither will mind carrying the load or playing second fiddle and helping teammates.

TE Dallas Clark = PF Troy Murphy

Tough competitors who put up way better numbers than you would expect them to. Murphy has been one of the more underrated forwards in the game for years while Dallas Clark is just now getting the attention he deserves after the departure of Marvin Harrison.

DE Dwight Freeney = C Roy Hibbert

This one is a stretch, considering Hibbert is still growing and Freeney is a veteran leader at this point--but Hibbert has that potential. He showed in college how much he could impact the game, and opposing offenses know that that's all Freeney does.

LB Gary Brackett = C Jeff Foster

Nothing flashy out of either player, but mainstays in their team's lineup for a reason. Consistently solid players.

New Orleans Saints/Hornets

QB Drew Brees = PG Chris Paul

Okay, this one is too easy. The similarities between quarterbacks and point guards are clear, but you'd be hard pressed to find a better match than this in the league. Both Brees and Paul are fundamentally sound but at the same time flashy, and their play dictates largely, if not nearly entirely, the success of their respective clubs.

FS Darren Sharper = C Emeka Okafor

The two big off-season acquisitions in Nawlins have paid dividends this season, both on the defensive side of the ball. While Emeka might actually be a defensive downgrade from Tyson Chandler (who they traded away to acquire Okafor), the presence of the former Husky can't be denied. Obviously, neither can that of Pro Bowl safety Sharper, acquired through Free Agency from the Vikings.

WR Marques Colston = PG Darren Collison

Both young players taken relatively late in the draft and expected to do little, who have burst onto the scene and played huge roles in their team's success.

RB Reggie Bush = SF Peja Stojakovic

Considering the achievements both have been able to garner in the past, you expect more from them. Bush was dominant at USC, and while he's having a good playoffs, it's impossible to say he's lived up to his hype. Just a couple of years ago Peja was carrying the Hornets to one of the top seeds in the Western Conference Playoffs. Now, his play has dropped off along with his teams. Both teams need these guys to perform to be really great.

LB Jonathan Vilma = PF David West

Remarkably great fits on their teams, as West goes together beautifully with Chris Paul and Vilma is the exact perfect fit for the Saints defense.

TE Jeremy Shockey = SF Jamesy Posey

Overpaid, overrated recent free agent acquisitions who show just enough productivity to keep you hoping that they will live up to their billing. Still, it's hard to argue with them, as they have both been winners throughout their careers.

So there's that. Amidst all the rehashed stories of Super Bowl week(s), this is our attempt to create a new story. At least we tried.

And for the record, we'll take the Hornets.

Uganda Gets Jets-Vikings Super Bowl

We're talking, of course, about the championship merchandise that is printed in big games. The NFL needs to be ready for any outcome in the championship game, so they print t-shirts and hats for both teams so that they can immediately be worn by the winning players following the game.

The losing merchandise? It gets sent to a relief organization, World Vision, where it is distributed to countries such as Uganda, Niger and Sierra Leone.

Per a great New York Times article from three years ago, the same will happen with the loser of the Super Bowl between the Colts and Saints:

The Super Bowl will end about 10 p.m. Sunday, and by 10:01 every player on the winning team — along with coaches, executives, family members and ball boys — could be outfitted in colorful T-shirts and caps proclaiming them champions.

The other set of championship gear — the 288 T-shirts and caps made for the team that did not win — will be hidden behind a locked door at (Sun Life) Stadium. By order of the National Football League, those items are never to appear on television or on eBay. They are never even to be seen on American soil.

They will be shipped Monday morning to a warehouse in Sewickley, Pa., near Pittsburgh, where they will become property of World Vision, a relief organization that will package the clothing in wooden boxes and send it to a developing nation, usually in Africa.

The MLB actually destroys the merchandise, while the NBA sends losing Finals gear to a charity overseas. The NFL goes the World Vision route, which causes for confusion in Niger--should any of the citizens know anything about American Football.

Merry X-mas Degenerates and Happy B-day to Us

Merry Christmas to all of our degenerates out there waiting for an NBA play to satisfy your craving on this holiday.

Many of you might not know this, but along with Jesus, today is also the day of Lemmy's birth. Stock Lemon was born on Christmas Day two years ago, and we've been delivering picks and analysis ever since.

So, as a Christmas present to you and a birthday present to us, here's our NBA pick for today.

Lakers -6 over Cavaliers

Christmas Day is Kobe Bryant's time to shine, just like whatever gifts you purchase with today's winnings! Good luck!

Two, yes two, Free NBA Picks Tonight

Our Free NBA Picks have started this season with very sporadic plays, but tonight we have two whole picks!

Cavaliers -5 1/2 over the Bobcats

Pistons -4 over the Clippers

Good luck!

A Sunday Free NBA Pick

Our Free NBA Picks are off to an unusually slow start, with a couple of early heartbreakers. Hopefully we can get it going today by continuing to bet on horrible teams.

Golden State Warriors -3 over Sacramento Kings

We expect Don Nelson to expose the Kings like he exposes himself on any given night.

Good luck!

Free NBA Picks Continue Out West

The way our Free NBA Picks are going to start the year, we're going to need to get used to staying up late. We have another pick out west tonight, and once again the teams involved are less than stellar.

Grizzlies +6 over the Warriors

You can check out the rest of the NBA Odds at Doc's Sports.

Good luck!

Road NBA Dogs Out West Tonight

We like two road dogs in the late games tonight as we look to get our Free NBA Picks going.

Grizzlies +1 over the Kings

Timberwolves +7 1/2 Clippers

The bottom line is this: these are four bad basketball teams playing tonight, but we think we picked the cream of the dying crops.

If you don't like these, you can always check out Doc's Sports for more NBA Picks.

First Free NBA Pick of the Year

Here it is!

Historically the Free NBA Picks have been some of our best.

Suns -3 1/2 over the Clippers

Good luck this year!

Help Vote On Our Summer Betting Plan

Last summer, we took some time off from the betting world and posts were few and far between as a result. This summer, we don't want that to happen again.

With our Free MLB Picks system easily our least reliable of the major sports, we tend not to play too many MLB games. Which leaves us no choice--if we want to wager on summer sports, we're going to have to wager on some obscure sports leagues.

In our minds, that leaves three choices. Here's where you come in. In our first ever poll here at Stock Lemon, we need you to vote for which of the following three leagues we should bet on over the summer. We want to narrow it down to just one so that we can focus our full attention on what would be an entirely new league for us, so that we can learn as much as possible about that particular league. So, in no particular order, here are our three options:

MLS

The MLS has already kicked off (get it... soccer!) its 2009 season, so already we are a little behind on the pitch. We follow soccer very loosely, but think we could pick it up with relative ease. The MLS is nowhere near the competition or popularity of England's Premier League, but their season doesn't start until August, and we're already going through betting withdrawls.

WNBA

The WNBA is our next choice due to our familiarity and success betting basketball in the NBA, although the women's game is entirely different. We feel that we could pick it up, but we're not sure we could make it through an entire season of women's hoops. We want this to be a profitable experience, but we also want it to be fun, and we haven't heard too many people raving about the excitement of the WNBA. Like the MLS, the season has begun, but is in its early stages.

CFL

Just as we have experience and success in basketball, the same can be said about football. We love the NFL and would enjoy watching the games regardless of whether or not we were involved financially. Considering how excited we are to begin betting on the inaugural UFL season, it would only makes sense to bet on Canada's version of the game which, give or take ten yards, is pretty much the same. Two weeks of CFL action are in the books, and Week 3 will conclude before the results of our poll are in, but there is still plenty of time for us to dive into the league.

The poll is located in the upper right hand corner of this site, so be sure to help us decide which league to begin placing bets on.

2009 NBA Draft Prop Bets Go 5-2

Our 2009 NBA Draft Prop Bets were fairly successful, finishing with a record of 5-2. That record is terribly misleading though, since we're including the prop that Blake Griffin will play for the Clippers this year, which nets us $1.18 off a $100 bet.

Still, not a bad showing at the draft.

Our other props that won included betting Tyler Hansbrough to be selected before Chase Budinger, and another to go before Wayne Ellington, though both of those were won with significant chalk. We also correctly picked Hasheem Thabeet to be selected before James Harden, though again, there was plenty of juice on that one.

Our most profitable win was correctly predicting that Darren Collison would be selected in the first round (+105), and we didn't even have to sweat it out. The Hornets nabbed Collison with the 21st pick in the draft.

So, until next year, thanks for joining us for our 2009 NBA Draft coverage.

2009 NBA Mock Draft Results

The 2009 NBA Draft is in the books, and our 2009 NBA Mock Draft wasn't too horrible.

At the end of the day we were correct on six of our 14 lottery pick selections, and in a draft this crazy, that isn't all that bad.

To review our picks, take a look at our 2009 NBA Mock Draft pick-by-pick in the upper right hand corner of this page.

More 2009 NBA Draft Proposition Bets

We've already given you a couple of 2009 NBA Draft prop bets in the lottery, and we've shown you a way to literally make a quick buck, so now it's time to take a look at four more proposition wagers that may be worth your while tonight.

Once again, you can find these props and more over at BetED.

We mentioned that we would have a few more Tyler Hansbrough props, and indeed two of the props we like involve the North Carolina forward. And, wouldn't you know it, they've spelled all the names right. Like our lottery props, we like two Hansbrough props of the "Who will be drafted first" variety.

North Carolina's Tyler Hansbrough (-325) vs. Arizona's Chase Budinger (+225)

We feel like the worst case scenario for Hansbrough is early twenties, while that's the best case for Budinger. There has even been some talk of Hansbrough as a lottery pick, but we don't think he'll go that high. We recommend Hansbrough here, even at -325.

North Carolina's Tyler Hansbrough (-220) vs. North Carolina's Wayne Ellington (+160)

We posted a variation of this earlier, and again, we think Hansbrough very well could be the first North Carolina player off the board. If not, he will definitely be the second. Ellington might even slip into the second round, but Hansbrough should be gone in the teens.

These next two props are a little different, in that you are betting on where players will go rather than if they will go before someone else.

Will UCLA's Darren Collison be drafted in the first round (+105) or second round (-145)

We really aren't sure why Collison being drafted in the first round has much better odds, as we think he'll definitely be picked in the 20's. Even if he's borderline, there's no way we're passing on +105 for him to be taken in the round that he really should be.

Where will Ohio State's B.J. Mullens be drafted? Picks 15-20 (+100)

We were too lazy to write out all the other choices, which you can find on the graphic above, but our hunch is that he'll go in this range. For even money, we don't mind taking a crack at him going right after the lottery, where several teams are interested. It doesn't matter that we think he'll suck and he is a long way away from the NBA, we think he'll be picked in this range.

The 2009 NBA Draft is finally here, beginning at about 6:00 central time. Be sure to review all of our prop bets beforehand, as well as our mock draft located on the right hand side of this page, to prepare for the big night.

2009 NBA Draft Lottery Proposition Bets

We've looked at several 2009 NBA Draft proposition bets over the last few days, and are mostly going of off those posted at BetED. We've narrowed our search for probably winners down to six different props, two of which involve four players that are nearly locked in as lottery picks. With that in mind, we'll reveal those first.

This close to the actual draft, many of the betting options that are favored to win are favored for very good reasons, so you're going to be getting pennies on the dollar with many of these. Still, if you find enough that you like--and get enough right--you can make some nice change on the NBA Draft.

Both of the lottery props that stood out to us are "Which player will get drafted first" type of deals.

UConn center Hasheem Thabeet (-325) vs. Arizona State guard James Harden (+225)

At -325, it's tough to bet Thabeet, but it would be an enormous upset for Harden to go before him (even bigger than Harden's appealing money line suggests). Big men are at such a premium in this draft, and we still think Thabeet will be the second player off the board. It's much easier to find a guy who can do similar things to Harden then it is to find someone to bring the size and defense of a guy like Thabeet. If you're willing to put a decent amount on this one it could be worth your while.

Davidson sharpshooter Stephen Curry (-200) vs. Syracuse point guard Jonny Flynn (+150)

This one is a little tougher, as indicated by the lower juice for Curry, but we have to go with the favorite in this one as well. Curry could go as high as the top five, though he probably won't. Flynn is rising fast, which makes us a little reluctant to pull the trigger on Curry, but in the end we think Curry has done nothing but help himself over the last few months and should be off the board before Flynn. All it takes is one team, though...

We'll have some more prop bets for you later in the day in preparation for the 2009 NBA Draft tonight, so stay tuned.

Shaq Finds Out He's Traded Through Twitter

ESPN is reporting that Shaquille O'Neal has been traded from the Suns to the Cavs in exchange for Ben Wallace and Sasha Pavlovic, which, of course, is news to Shaq.

Apparently, Shaq first heard about the ordeal through some twitter friends of his. Click the picture to enlarge the twitter chat log that took place.