Totals betting is keeping bettors watching

Some things you like to have an opinion on but other things you must accept as black and white fact. For example, why Adam Silver is the smartest Commissioner of the four most popular U.S. sports. It's not because of his advance educational degrees nor his impressive legal background. It's simply because he's always two steps ahead of everybody else in seeing the future for NBA basketball.

That includes his outspoken and often controversial posture on legalizing U.S. wagering. He knows that without it, the future of the NBA would dwindle and more so the NHL and Major League Baseball along with it. Only the NFL and it's narrow minded, record-setting unpopular commissioner Roger Goodell keeps his arms folded in stubborn disbelief. But the reality is Goodell only waits for a 200-page business plan on his desk how the NFL will be PAID to be in on the action. Integrity of the game? Yeah, right.

Bet-SKETBALL

Way back in the Summer of 2016 it was firmly assumed the Cavs would meet the Warriors again this June in the 2017 NBA Finals. However, nobody has been prepared thus far on how predictable the script would go to get there. Kevin Durant has nicely healed from his March injury and is on a determined course to get his first ring next month. Meanwhile, it seems like any four can line-up with Lebron James to enable Cleveland to potentially repeat their NBA Championship bid. The Cavs formula is just that good and Lebron is just that dominant come playoff time.

And is any evidence clearer of Golden State's path back to the top? In February, all the top online sportsbooks had the Warriors listed as a -180 choice, perhaps the strongest favorite we can recall in any sport. Even Durant's injury didn't deter many bettors. Top sportsbooks like Bovada and BetOnline only reduced the Warriors to -160, knowing he wasn't as hurt as advertised and would be 100% fine come playoff-time.

A review of NBA playoff series games from our excellent statistical website friend StatFox, confirms the snore-fest. Even match-ups outside the Cavs Bottom and Warriors sweeps have been one-sided night to night and over quickly. You were either hanging on to insure your team covered the spread or perhaps closed the gap late to gain an underdog wind ATS. If you were in a sports bar, you would be perplexed listening to someone screaming with thirty seconds to go.

Total-ly Makes Sense

Of course, we do have other options including the very popular Over/Under Total wagering featured at all preferred sportsbooks. Again, so important to shop around Diamond Sports, Bovada, Heritage or elsewhere, as a half point difference on a late meaningless bucket could cause you a night's sleep.

At least the excitement here intensified with most NBA playoff games thus far. Most all have been in limbo going into the fourth quarter and 90% of all totals undecided with 2:00 left in the game. A testament to how good linesmakers are in putting up an even-wagered number. For a useful guide, check the accurate numbers at StatFox.

And don't think every MLB, NFL, NHL and NBA official or game announcer doesn't realize its presence. We'll laugh waiting for Al Michaels coy Over/Under reference this season during the next blowout of Sunday Night Football. Al knows it's the only reason we're not going to bed yet that Sunday night. And bet the house Commissioner Goodell knows as well!!

Some Good News

There have been whispers about falling ratings and shrinking dollars lately at ESPN. The first shock wave was the recent firing of many ESPN staffers. That likely came from parent company Disney and how it was linked to affecting their stock price. How ironic, because Disney is one of the largest corporate contributors and lobbyist AGAINST gambling. One could only wonder how potentially "legalizing U.S. sports gambling" would likely hugely increase numbers at ESPN, TNT, ABC and everywhere else broadcasting professional sports on television. Wouldn't that be kinda Goofy??

Till then I applaud NBA Commissioner Adam Silver for being two steps ahead of every other commissioner in sports. He likely will be rewarded with more games being decided in the last few minutes as we advance toward the last few rounds of the playoffs. The Cavs and the Warriors are likely going to the NBA Finals but they won't be covering the spread in every game. And people watching in public will be screaming because they're genuinely excited, not just because they have fifty bucks or "a dime" on a -11.5 spread.

Glenn Greene covers the games from a betting angle every week exclusively at OSGA.com. For weekly betting insights, inlcuding previews and picks from Glenn, click here.