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.

Wwwherald Soccer Betting News


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March Madness odds and printable March Madness brackets

With the field of 64/65 set, MySportsbook.com has the Florida Gators as the 4-1 favorite to successfully defend their National Championship.  Men’s Division-1 College Basketball has not seen a team repeat as National Champions since Duke won back to back championships in ’91 & ‘92.  After losing three out of four late in the season, the Gators are full of momentum as they won their last four games by an average of 18 points.  Not surprisingly, right behind the Gators are the other three top seeds: Kansas 5-1, UNC 6-1, and Ohio State 7-1.  Many consider Kansas to be the hottest team in the country, having won 11 straight. With Kansas, it is hard to ignore all of the early exits from the “dance” in recent years.  With an impressive ACC Tournament, UNC ensured themselves the other top seed.  UNC has about as much talent as any other team in the tournament but with a team that’s best players are primarily freshman and sophomores, could youth be a concern.  Behind freshman sensation, Greg Oden, OSU will look to do what their football team failed to do just a few months earlier.  OSU seems to have peeked at the right time, as they currently have a 17 game winning streak.  Since the tournament field was expanded in 1985, there has never been an instance where all four #1 seeds advanced to the Final Four.  It is obvious that each of the top seeds have the talent to make it through to Atlanta.  But as everyone knows, when makes the NCAA Tournament so special are all of the spoilers and “Cinderella” stories that knock off the favorites on a daily basis.

Be sure to logon to MySportsbook.com to see check out all of the early lines and “March Madness” props.  Also be sure to enter the “$10,000,000 Perfect Bracket Contest”. If someone has the skills to predict every winner, they will be set for life and walk away with $10,000,000.  Even if no one can cash in on the Grand Prize, with a $35,000 guaranteed prize pool and a Mazda RX-8 to the first prize winner, Sportsbook.com’s bracket is a must for all “March Madness” fans.

MySportsbook.com’s odds to win the Championship and Regions:

EAST National Championship Region
Arkansas 300-1 50-1
Belmont 1000-1
Boston College 100-1 40-1
Eastern KY 1000-1
George Washington 75-1
Georgetown 10-1 3-2
Marquette 100-1 40-1
Michigan State 100-1 25-1
New Mexico St. 500-1 200-1
UNC 6-1 6-5
Oral Roberts  500-1
Texas 15-1 5-1
Texas Tech 200-1 5-1
USC 75-1 20-1
Vanderbilt 100-1 30-1
Washington State 40-1 15-1
WEST
Duke 50-1 10-1
Florida A&M 1000-1
Gonzaga 200-1  40-1
Holy Cross 300-1
Illinois 300-1 60-1
Indiana 75-1 40-1
Kansas 5-1 13-10
Kentucky 100-1 40-1
Niagara 1000-1
Pittsburgh 40-1 8-1
Southern Ill. 50-1 12-1
UCLA 10-1 3-2
VCU 500-1 100-1
Villanova 100-1 40-1
VA Tech 50-1 15-1
Weber St 1000-1
Wright St 1000-1 300-1
MIDWEST
Arizona 50-1 30-1
Butler 40-1 30-1
Davidson 300-1
Florida 4-1 4-5
Georgia Tech 75-1 25-1
Jackson State 1000-1
Maryland 30-1 6-1
Miami-OH 300-1
Notre Dame 100-1 20-1
ODU 500-1 100-1
Oregon 40-1 6-1
Purdue 300-1 60-1
Texas A&M CC 1000-1
UNLV 100-1 30-1
Winthrop 500-1 100-1
Wisconsin 15-1 7-2
SOUTH
Albany 200-1
BYU 200-1 40-1
Central CT St. 1000-1
Creighton 100-1 35-1
Long Beach St. 500-1 200-1
Louisville 40-1 10-1
Memphis 30-1 4-1
Nevada 75-1 35-1
North Texas 500-1
Ohio State 7-1 6-5
Penn 500-1
Stanford 200-1 50-1
Tennessee 100-1 20-1
Texas A&M 12-1 11-5
Virginia 75-1 18-1
Xavier 100-1 40-1

Field                                              100-1

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Super Bowl XLIII Betting - Super Bowl 2009

Super Bowl 2009, the Arizona Cardinals and the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Let’s take a look at the Super Bowl 2009 betting odds and the betting line and figure out where they’ve been and where they are going to go.

MySportsbook.com put up the Super Bowl 2009 betting odds late on Sunday night with the Pittsburgh Steelers favored by 6.5 points and a total betting line at 47.5 points.

Since then, however, the Super Bowl 2009 betting odds have seen a good deal of movement and you’ll want to be on top of where they are likely to move to make sure you get the best line value for the big game.

Since opening, the Super Bowl 2009 betting lines went to Steelers -7 in the span of roughly 3 hours but were quickly bought back down just minutes later to 6.5 again.

After that is took about 5-6 more hours before the betting line went back to -7 where it has sat for a while now and is likely to remain. The opening betting total of 47.5 was bet down right after the line became available and went to 47 within minutes.

Roughly a day later it has been bet even further down to the 46.5 tally it currently is set at.

Roughly 60% of gamblers seem to be on the Cardinals here so the point spread will be bet down and a 7.5 would not last very long at all with many taking the early 6.5 in hopes of finding a potential middle in the Super Bowl 2009 betting odds.

If you like Arizona and see a 7.5, I’d take it as soon as possible because it’s unlikely to last. For Pittsburgh backers, the -7 might be the best you’ll be able to find but a 6.5 is definitely possible close to game time.

Regarding the Super Bowl 2009 betting odds for the total, most tracked gamblers are already on the over and with those who took the under 47.5 already securing a middle on the over 46.5, the only way I see it moving is back up to 47 so if you like the over, I’d recommend betting now.

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