Michael Perry is an oddsmaker with Logans.com. Each week he answers the most pressing sports betting questions.
Kelly (Tampa) - How much action is the book taking on UFC 91? And how much of that is on the Lesnar-Couture fight?
Michael Perry - Very high profile matchup with Brock Lesnar and Randy Coutare. We are getting a ridiculously high volume as a result. I like Lesnar's chances, so we are shading the line in his favor (using Lesnar -140, whereas most other shops are at -125).
Phil (Dallas) - Bit of a surprise with the Spurs starting so slow, are people still backing them?
Michael Perry - Oh, how the mighty have fallen. Injuries and age have crippled this
team. What a 2nd half collapse against Milwaukee on Wednesday. People were on them against the Bucks, but I think now with all the injuries, that people will start fading the Spurs more times than naught.
Rick (Toronto) - With the Atlanta Hawks off to a fast start are you starting to see some action on them to win their division?
Michael Perry - Yes, we did get some action last week on Atlanta to win the Southeast at 3/1, and people are still betting them a bit at 2/1.
Bill (Akron) - Do you have to adjust your spreads on the Browns now that Quinn is the QB?
Michael Perry - Not really. Even though Quinn looked great against Denver last Thursday, pretty much every quarterback has done the same.
Bill (Miami) - Can Alabama and Texas Tech hold their rankings in the BCS and meet for the championship in January?
Michael Perry - Not likely. Bama will be around a 4-6 point dog to the Gators in SEC Championship game. Texas Tech is a 7.5-point dog to Oklahoma in next week’s game, which is available to wager here at Logans.com.
Charlie (Flagstaff) - College basketball has started its season and the Tar Heels are again the talk of the nation. Any other programs drawing much action for futures wagers?
Michael Perry - UCLA is a popular team with the public and one I like. Not really going out on limb, but at 10/1 to win it, that’s decent value. I’m big fan of Ben Howland as coach of the Pac-10 power. The Bruins are without question a Final Four contender.
John (Florida) - Tony Romo returns to the Cowboys this weekend but he’s admitted his pinkie isn’t completely healed. How many points is he worth to a Dallas pointspread?
Michael Perry - Bad pinky or no pinky, Tony Romo is better than Brad Johnson. His presence in the starting lineup counts 3-4 points to the spread. Now the Cowboys have the passing threat that can open things up for the rest of the offense.
Sam (Houston) - The NFL has stolen the Thursday spotlight from college football. Are you seeing less action on the marquee Thursday college game or are more bettors parlaying their bets with the NFL game?
Michael Perry - How much volume we receive on a particular game depends on who exactly is playing. If two teams from a lesser known conference are playing, then we don’t expect much action because the teams are generally not that well known. The NFL will always trump the college game though, regardless of how high profile the college game is.
Keith (Maryland) - Screw the BCS standings. Who are the two best teams in college football right now?
Michael Perry - Buddy, I am with you. I think right now it’s Texas Tech and Florida. Problem for Tech is they have to play at Oklahoma. Man, I hope we get an eight team playoff system as soon as it’s possible. I mean the soon-to-be President of the Free world wants it, so it’s conceivable right?
Will (Rockford) - How much action did you guys take on the World Series of Poker? And how did the book make out?
Michael Perry - Books did fine as no known names emerged victorious. It doesn’t get a great amount of action, and I think since it was so drawn out it kind of killed its luster.
Seneca (Tacoma) - With the Sharks losing Nabokov for who knows how long, are you fading the Sharks a little bit? Or are they still strong favorites most nights?
Michael Perry – We’re not going to fade the Sharks just yet because they have plenty of talent outside of Nabokov.
Barry (Charlotte) - Has the action on NASCAR picked up during the Chase for the Cup?
Michael Perry - We are getting more action than I expected. Sure, Johnson just has to finish 36th or better to claim the NASCAR Sprint Title, but there’s still a race to be driven this weekend in Miami and a popular choice to win is Carl Edwards (5/2).
Andy (NY) - How much action did the book take on last week’s election? And did the book come out on top?
Michael Perry - Tons of action on the U.S. Presidential Election. The book did great overall, as Obama and the Democratic Party were favorites the whole way through.
Stu (LA) - Does the acquisition of Matt Holliday affect the future odds of the A’s in any way?
Michael Perry - Still haven’t taken much action on the A's. We’re keeping the odds at 60/1 to win the World Series at the moment.