Oddsmakers: Mets to improve in 2010; Yanks still command the most power

The New York Mets and the Cleveland Indians are poised to show the most dramatic improvement in major league baseball, year over year, according to odds released in Las Vegas this week.

The over/under on the number of 2010 regular-season victories by the Mets opened at 88 at all Lucky's sports books in Nevada. The figure represents an increase of 18 victories for the Mets, who finished 70-92 in 2009. The Mets were decimated by injuries to key players including Jose Reyes, Carlos Beltran and Carlos Delgado last year. They also suffered the effects of a power outage by David Wright, who managed to hit only 10 home runs after belting 33 the previous season.

Betting three favorites -- with analysis -- in the ring

Bettors who followed the advice in this column ended up winning either 3 units (risking enough to win a unit on each fight) or upward of 1.2 units (risking a single unit per fight).

Boxing fans, and the sport itself, are still reeling from the failure of a proposed fight between Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather Jr. to come together in the spring.

Even so, several bouts in the next couple of months present solid opportunities for gamblers. I like the betting favorite in three upcoming fights -- one each in March, April and May.

Season-long baseball betting props hit board ... and one stands out

In May 2009, a sports book in Nevada hung an intriguing proposition asking whether any team in the NFL would win 13 or more games in the forthcoming football season. The same book posted a separate prop asking whether any NFL team would lose 13 or more games in the regular season.

The same method I used to analyze those props can be applied to several 2010 season-long major league baseball wagering opportunities that have just begun to appear on betting boards.

Overlays among NCAA tournament hopefuls

When Kansas cruised past Texas as a small road favorite Monday night, the top-ranked Jayhawks cemented their status as an overwhelming betting favorite to win the NCAA tournament.

The odds on Kansas to win the title stood at 9-5 heading into Monday's action at the Las Vegas Hilton sports book, which typically offers bettors some of the healthiest future-book prices anywhere.

Five Neat Guys, or a tribute to some memorable influences in Las Vegas

Tennyson wrote, "I am a part of all that I have met."

In my time in Las Vegas, I have been influenced or inspired by more people than I can count.

I hold a special place for those I'm no longer in touch with, whether they were friends who have passed on or acquaintances who have opted to withdraw from the public scene.