Those who bet on MLB baseball odds online will have a full slate of games to wager on this weekend in their sports betting book, and here is a look at the top three matchups to watch (remember to confirm the pitching matchups before making your picks).

Mariners Rays Odds (Friday, 7:10 PM ET)

This could be the best matchup of the weekend as Seattle’s reigning Cy Young winner, “King” Felix Hernandez, takes on David Price of the Rays in Tampa Bay, and even though these two aren’t pitching up to their normal standards, the possibility is always there for a duel.

Phillies Nationals Odds (Saturday, 7:05 PM ET)

The Phillies are the World Series betting favorites because of their pitching, but Roy Oswalt has had a shaky season in 2011, mostly due to injury. Philadelphia needs him to get back to his best for their postseason run, and he’ll be on the mound on Saturday in Washington, where he’ll face off against the Nationals’ John Lannan.

Rangers White Sox Odds (Saturday, 7:10 PM ET)

Speaking of veteran pitchers battling injuries, Jake Peavy was never the same after winning the Cy Young in 2007 with San Diego, and he’s a shadow of his former self with Chicago. He’ll lead the White Sox out against the Rangers and Alexi Ogando, who is running out of gas in his rookie season, but Texas needs him to pick up his game if they’re going to boost their betting chances in the World Series.

Those who bet on MLB odds have had their eye on a couple of lockout situations as the NFL and NBA are in the midst of work stoppages. Actually, the NFL lockout is winding down and could be ending very soon, which means the spotlight is on the NBA, and this lockout threatens to make the NFL look like a walk in the park. This is going to be a brutal time for sports betting players waiting for the NBA.

The NBA and the players’ union are finally going to the bargaining table this week, the first meeting between the two sides since the lockout began on July 1^st, but it will be missing some very crucial pieces, like commissioner David Stern, union head Billy Hunter, nor any players or owners. Representatives for the two sides are getting together with no new proposals, which means the posturing has begun. Stern has been known to be a heavy-handed individual, but the consensus is that Hunter has come out on top in the last two CBAs. This will probably be the last time that Stern negotiates on behalf of the owners and the league, and you can expect him to be as stubborn as he has ever been to go out on a high note.

None of that bodes well of our chances of seeing NBA basketball anytime soon, and there is a real fear that the owners are willing to sacrifice a season to get a new deal done. Of course, the same was said about the NFL lockout, so hopefully both sides can be open-minded. However, that’s not something we’re betting on.

If you bet on MLB baseball, you’re aware that Boston and Philadelphia are the favorites to win the World Series, while the New York Yankees are always lurking, along with Texas and St. Louis, but what about the underdogs. Here is a look at three teams to watch this fall.

San Francisco

Yes, the defending World Series champions are underdogs here, but they were also darkhorses last year. Their offense is still bad, but they got some timely hitting, and you can never count out a team that can trot out Tim Lincecum and Matt Cain in their rotation. If the bats can be slightly above average, the Giants will be a threat.

Milwaukee

The Brewers have all the offense in the world with Prince Fielder, Rickie Weeks and Ryan Braun, but they also have a great trio of starters in Zack Greinke, Shaun Marcum and Yovani Gallardo. But Greinke has been shaky and the other two have no postseason experience, and that will be the key to the Brewers’ sports betting odds in the fall.

Los Angeles Angels

The Angels are as balanced as anyone in the majors as they can drive in runs, but they also have a great one-two punch in the rotation in Jered Weaver and Dan Haren. Pitching is what wins championships, as the Giants proved in 2010, and the Angels are stocked. If they can into the playoffs, watch for the Angels sports betting online odds.

MLB betting players are gearing up for another weekend of interleague action, and here is a peek at some trends to pay attention to before you make your picks.

Rockies Yankees Betting

The Yankees have won five of their nine meetings with the Rockies, with five games going over the posted total, and they swept Colorado in three games in 2004, with two games going over the posted total. However, that was in the old Yankee Stadium, so there could be a fresh slate this weekend.

Mets Rangers Betting

These two have split six meetings since 2003, with four games falling under the posted total, and the Mets won two of three in Texas eight years ago, with two games coming in under the total.

Angels Dodgers Betting

In this crosstown rivalry, the Angels have won seven of the last 10 meetings, with seven games going over the total, and they’ve dominated at Dodger Stadium, going 7-3 in their last 10 trips with half of the games finishing under the posted total.

Twins Brewers Betting

In a matchup of Central Division teams, Minnesota and Milwaukee have split their last 10 meetings, with five games going over the posted total. In Milwaukee, the Brewers are 6-4 against the Twins with six games coming in over the posted total.

Indians Giants Betting

Finally, the Indians have won four of their six meetings with the Giants, and the last four games have fallen under the total. They pulled off a three-game sweep in San Francisco in 2005, with two games over the total, but don’t expect that to happen again in your betting book.

PayPerHead.com, an online sportsbook service provider for local agents, today unveiled a new campaign featuring Vince Curatola, Johnny Sack of The Sopranos fame.

The campaign leads with Vince asking “Five bucks per head, that’s what I wanna pay…” and the website, featuring video and voice overs by Vince, walks you through the product, the process and the competition.
“Five bucks a head is really an industry first given our level of service,” a spokesman from PayPerHead.com explained. “And we very carefully and in great detail delineate on the website exactly what you get and at what price level at PayPerHead versus the other serious players, such as Pay x Head.”

And what you get is a lot, including not only the traditional online sportsbook betting management but an optional casino, live poker, in game live betting, mobile betting, tools for managing players and their funds, layoff and scalp accounts, even a “sharp check.” “We have the sharpest lines out there and one of the most experienced stages anywhere offshore,” the spokesman said, “so if we start seeing sharp action from one of your players, we can give you a heads up. What you want to do with him is up to you.”

The choice of Vince Curatola was an interesting one. “We always liked Vince’s character on The Sopranos, as John “Johnny Sack” Sacramoni,” the PayPerHead spokesman said. “He had a certain style, classy, but not over the top; there’s a calmness and authority about him that we really admire.  He brings that serious business demeanor to PayPerHead.com, the first sportsbook-service to EVER feature any kind of celebrity in its marketing.”
With post-up books like BetUS, Sportsbook.com and SportsInteraction stopping taking US players, Bodog and others struggling with “Ecom” processing problems, the street scene is heating up and players are posting daily in forums looking for a “local out.” Players want the huge selection of markets, including live in-game betting, and the convenience of anytime betting online or via their mobile, but more and more say “they want to bet online but prefer to settle in cash on Monday.”

Is this the future of online sports betting? Quite possibly. And with firms like PayPerHead.com investing in marketing in an unprecedented way (celebs, who’d have thunk it?!) and in product (they also offer live poker, casino and in-game betting), expect to see this sector grow significantly this season.

For more information, see PayPerHead.com.