Real Madrid sold its 'soul' to Schalke

Soccer Betting Lines

07/29/2010 - Philadelphia, PA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Raul in Royal Blue? Fitting, I guess, even if it's tough to imagine. Raul ended his 16-year stay at Real Madrid this week and started his second life at Schalke on Thursday.

Signed to a "lifetime contract" by Real Madrid just two years ago, the Spanish legend was allowed to walk away from the only club he's ever known. He has 323 goals in 741 career games, but the 33-year-old was no longer wanted.

Real Madrid has made this mistake before, just not at this Everest-like level. Just last offseason, Real discarded Arjen Robben and Wesley Sneijder and their new teams, Bayern Munich and Inter Milan, made the Champions League final.

There comes a time in every player's life, even those with so-called "lifetime contracts," when it's time to hang it up. But Raul still had plenty to give Real - just ask Schalke coach Felix Magath.

"We can present the fans," Magath said at a news conference on Thursday, "with one of the best players in the world."

Raul will trade his iconic No. 7 Real Madrid jersey for Schalke colors, though that's almost like picturing Cal Ripken in Yankee pinstripes.

"He was the soul of Real Madrid," Italy's Francesco Totti said on his website.

That said, just a few thousand fans came to the Bernabeu to send him off. A year ago, the stadium was almost full when Cristiano Ronaldo arrived. How easily we forget Raul led Real Madrid to three Champions League titles.

Although Raul's role was limited last season for Real, he still appeared in 40 games in all competitions. He scored twice in the Champions League, increasing his own record to 66 career goals in the competition.

The German team was second behind Bayern in the Bundesliga last year to secure a spot in the group stage of this season's Champions League. Raul could get an early look at his old team, if Schalke and Real are drawn together.

Regardless, Raul is set to break a tie with AC Milan's Filippo Inzaghi for the all-time scoring lead in European competitions. Both have 68 career goals.

Schalke does not have Real's history, but Raul fills the only huge hole in the Royal Blues' lineup after 18-goal scorer Kevin Kuranyi left earlier this year.

Schalke will contend for the league title and it will compete in the Champions League. Sound familiar Madrid? Real finished second in Spain's La Liga and was eliminated in the Champions League round of 16 for the sixth straight time one season ago.

"Our aim should be to have a major say in the [league] title race," said Raul, who retired as Spain's all-time scoring leader four years ago with 44 goals in 102 games. "It's going to be tough in the Champions League."

Real made it easier for Schalke by letting Raul depart. Thank you cards by the dozens should be on their way from Gelsenkirchen to Madrid.

"If anyone knows the true significance of the Champions League it's him," said German Christoph Metzelder, who also left Real this offseason to join Schalke.

Raul signed a two-year contract with Schalke and said on Thursday his years at Real Madrid were "officially" over. He lead Real to six La Liga titles, and if he can end Schalke's title drought, which dates to 1958, he will be an icon at Veltins-Arena as well.

Raul may have joined Schalke on a free transfer, but Real sold its soul by allowing him to leave.

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SPORTS BETTING

NFL Football Betting Online

In terms of sports wagering, the NFL is "the most popular game in town." The explanation behind that is easy.

It is called the "pointspread."

Many years ago, NFL games, as well as the more popular college games, used straight odds as a vehicle for betting. For example, if the Bears were playing the Giants, and it shaped up as a competitive contest, the Bears might be, say, a 7/5 favorite. If they were playing an also-ran, it might be 10/1. Well, there is a point where a line becomes prohibitive, as far as betting the favorite. And who would waste money betting an underdog that has virtually no chance? Such a setup did not contribute to promoting betting action.

But in modern sports betting, a "pointspread" is used.

A NFL pointspreads are exactly that, a pre-established point difference between the two sides that will, for all intents and purposes, create a handicap that evens things out, and in doing so, produces comparable wagering activity on both sides of that proposition. So in lieu of a odds figure in which to bet the team to win outright, the Bears might be a three-point favorite over the New York Giants, and a 17-point favorite over the also-ran. Now that the team that is the underdog can "get" points, there can be equal action on both sides.

In sportsbooks, this is usually done with efficiency by charging the losing bettors 10% extra - in effect, bettors are laying 11/10 on those games. So they are actually betting $110 to win $100. If they lose, they pay the "vig." If they win, they simply collect.

The establishment of the pointspread as the corner stone around which team sports like football can be wagered upon was truly what brought gridiron betting into the stratosphere for online football betting .

Don't believe it? Just take a look at what happens around the Super Bowl.

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MySportsbook.com favors Bears, Bengals, Chargers and Colts to remain perfect

LAS VEGAS , Sept. 28 - Two big match-ups of undefeated teams have fans salivating at the Week Four schedule in the NFL. The Chicago Bears stifling defense looks to provide a less than hospitable welcome to the Seattle Seahawks on Sunday night in a battle of two 3-0 teams in the NFC conference. In the AFC, the San Diego Chargers (2-0) head to Maryland to face the surprising Baltimore Ravens (3-0) as both try to keep pace atop the conference standings. Betting Lines makers at MySportsbook.com, online sportsbook and casino, have set the Bears as 3.5 point favorites while the Chargers are a 2.5 point bet.

Of the three remaining undefeated teams, only one, New Orleans, enters this week's game as an underdog. Despite an emotional and resounding win over Atlanta on Monday night, the Saints are a 7.5 point underdog against the struggling Carolina Panthers. Indianapolis looks to stay perfect when they face the New York Jets as a 9 point road favorite while the Cincinnati Bengals are a 6 point favorite at home to the New England Patriots.

Six teams enter the week still looking for their first win, with a seventh, Tampa Bay, on a bye week. The prospect of dropping another game would not bode well for a potential playoff run. Since 1990, just three teams -- the 1992 Chargers, 1995 Detroit Lions and 1998 Buffalo Bills -- have overcome losing their first three games of the season to earn a postseason berth. And only the Chargers managed to accomplish the feat after starting 0-4.

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