Speed Figures: A Horserace-Betting Guide To Using Them Correctly

If you’re new to speed figures, here are the basics. In laymen’s terms, it’s a rating system for the performance of thoroughbred racehorses to measure one racehorse against another by how fast it runs. Every horse is assigned a speed figure for every race. Each speed figure reflects the time of the race and the speed of track that the race was run on.

Unfortunately, those who are new to horserace betting often make the mistake of looking at speed figures to figure out how to bet on horse racing and, more specifically, which horse to pick. That’s one of the worst moves you can make.

Instead, speed figures should be used in tandem with other racing practices. We’ve put together a few tips to help you make the most of speed figures.

Know the race inside and out
Don’t look at just speed figures and take them at face value. Speed figure should be taken with a grain of salt. Successful horserace bettors will also look at patterns in horse behavior at the starting gate and the jockey’s strategy when it comes to how he handles bends and maneuvers the whip.

Know the track
That includes the surface and the length. A lot of horses don’t travel from track to track well, and it takes them a bit of time to familiarize themselves with their new surroundings. So how do speed figures factor into this? Well, if the horse hasn’t seen this track recently, then the speed figure might not be worth relying on for your next bet.

Find trends
A horse peaks over time and ages along the way. They could be all set to give off their best performance at special events with less impressive performances at smaller ones. To figure out whether the speed figure you’re look at is an indication of impending success, study them over time and look for trends to see where and under what circumstances that horse succeeded.

Look beyond the stats
When it comes to low speed figures, there could be more to the story. Dig deep and see if the horse was sick, had an off day, or if there was something else going on before deciding not to lay down cash because of a low speed figure.

Know the local conditions
Make sure you account for track conditions when examining any and all speed figures. A wet, soggy track puts heavy horses at a disadvantage, so make sure you find out exactly how the track surface affected a race before taking speed figures at face value.

Use the speed figures at a site with a solid bonus

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NBA Basketball Betting: Toronto Raptors vs. Philadelphia 76ers

Date/Time: Tue, Nov 20 / 07:10:00 PM ET, Wells Fargo Center, Philadelphia, PA

The NBA Atlantic division takes the spotlight tonight in a courtside battle that has all the ingredients for a perfect betting opportunity for NBA bettors.

The 3-7 Toronto Raptors have won two of their last three, including a 97-86 victory against the Magic on Sunday. And they’ve held their opponents to a 79-point average in those two victories—including a 74-72 win over the Pacers.

Tonight, Toronto will face the Philadelphia 76ers, a franchise that seems to keep churning out win after win after win. They’ve won five of their last six, but bettors looking shouldn’t count on a high scoring game. Philadelphia favors solid defense over getting points on the board. So far this NBA season, they’ve averaged just 88.9 points per game.

Toronto will need to up their defensive game against Philly. The team dropped from a 14^th ranked defensive rating in 2011-12 to 23^rd this year. Andrea Bargnani’s shot continues to be a bit off, and his start this season has been anything but stellar. Some online sportsbook members might classify it as brutal. In fact, he’s only shooting 35.8 percent from the field.

But against Orlando, he did have one of his better outings, so hopefully some of that past, um, magic will rub off on him. In the last game against Philly earlier this season, Bargnani managed an impressive 23 points.

In their last head-to-head, Philly trailed early on but eventually spun the ball in the other direction and took full control, besting the Raptors at the Air Canada Centre 93-83.

Bettors thinking of taking Toronto as they look at tonight’s odds should note that Philly had claimed five of the last six NBA matchups. And Toronto hasn’t exactly hammered out wins on the road so far this season, winning just one of five games while averaging 91.0 points. That’s 10.2 points below what they net at home.

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Game Odds:
Toronto Raptors: +5.5-110, ML 190
Philadelphia 76ers: -5.5-110, ML -230
Totals: 182.5, o/u -110

NBA Betting Preview: Memphis Grizzlies vs. Oklahoma City Thunder

Date/Time: Wed, Nov 14 / 8:11:00 PM ET, Chesapeake Energy Arena, Oklahoma City, OK

It’s the roar of the Grizzlies vs. the roar of the Thunder as two of this season’s most solid performers face off against each other tonight in a courtside battle that promises to offer tons of history-making moments for NBA fans.

The Oklahoma City Thunder is sitting pretty with a 5-game winning streak. But tonight, they’ll have to face the equally ferocious Memphis Grizzlies, an NBA squad that’s off to its best start in the history of the franchise.

The 5-1 Grizzlies are looking for their sixth straight win. They’ll hit the floor with a heavy heart, just one day after finding out that assistant general manager Kenny Williamson has succumbed to cancer.

Sportsbook enthusiasts had predicted that the Memphis Grizzlies toughest test of the season would be their match against the defending NBA champions Miami Heat on Sunday. But Memphis managed a stellar 104-86 victory, scoring 41 points—a season high.

Oklahoma was equally impressive over the weekend, with Russell Westbrook sinking a half-court shot—just one of his 27 points. Kevin Durant added 26 more, pushing OKC to a 106-91 victory against the Cleveland Cavaliers.

But online sports aficionados interested in dropping money on this game should pay attention to the fact that the Oklahoma City Thunder will be playing their ninth game of the month—and fifth in a week. That could lead to some tired performances on the floor.

And some fans might argue that the nonstop action on the court was starting to take its toll on OKC on Monday night as the Thunder trailed Detroit by 11 toward the end of the game. But OKC made noise when it counted most, edging out a 92-90 win.

Last season, OKC won the first three matchups against the Grizzlies before dropping a fourth game on April 2^nd. Kevin Durant averaged 28.8 points over his last 21 matchups against the Grizzlies, which includes a 7-game Western Conference semifinal series in ’11.

Game Odds:
Memphis Grizzlies: +5.5-110, ML -110
Oklahoma City Thunder: -5.5-110, ML -110
Game Total: 194, o/u:-110

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Wednesday Night NCAA Football Preview: Toledo Rockets (8-2) at Northern Illinois Huskies (9-1)

Date/Time: Wed, Nov 14 / 09:05:00 PM ET, Huskie Stadium, DeKalb, Illinois

The Toledo Rockets (8-2, 5-1 MAC) travel to DeKalb on Wednesday to face the Northern Illinois Huskies (9-1, 6-0 MAC) in a game with Top 25 implications and MAC West Title on the line.

The Huskies, whose only reverse came in the season opener vs. Iowa, are 9-1 and will look for their 10th straight win when they welcome the Rockets at their home stadium. The two squads will meet in a rematch of last year’s game at the Glass Bowl, which the Huskies won by a 3-point margin (63-60) after quarterback Chandler Harnish’s completed his sixth touchdown pass of the game with only a few seconds left in the clock. The victory over Toledo catapulted the Huskies to win the Mid-American Conference West title and gave them the chance to play the Ohio Bobcats in the 2011 MAC championship game in Detroit.

Thanks to last week’s 63-0 win over the UMass Minutemen, the Huskies increased their winning streak at Huskie Stadium to 20 victories, the longest home record in the NCAA Football.  So far this season, Northern Illinois has won five games at Huskie Stadium. In Fact, NIU hasn’t lost a game in DeKalb since September 26, 2009, when the Huskies suffered a 34-31 loss to Idaho. Additionally, the team has won a total of 15 MAC games at its home stadium, with the last reverse dating to Nov. 12, 2008 (33-30 overtime loss to Central Michigan).

For Toledo, a victory at Northern Illinois would revive its chances to contend for the MAC's West Division title.  The 8-2 Rockets are coming off a painful 34-27 loss to Ball State.  Until last week, the Rockets were ranked 23 in the Associated Press Top 25 poll for the first time since 2001, but the unexpected loss to the Cardinals left Toledo out of the AP Poll and distanced the team from first-place Northern Illinois in the MAC's West Division. Toledo's only previous loss this season came in its season opener when the Rockets loss 24-17 in overtime against the Arizona wildcats.


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Game Odds:
Toledo Rockets: +10.5-110, ML +310
Northern Illinois Huskies: -10.5-110, ML -380
Game Total: 63, o/u:-110

The Rockets lead the series versus Northern Illinois, 29-9, but have lost two of the last three games against the Huskies. Toledo has also won 11 out of 18 games played at Huskie Stadium and is 19-3 in their last 22 matches against MAC opponents.

NBA Betting Preview: Oklahoma Thunder (5-2) vs. Detroit Pistons (0-7)

Date/Time: Mon, Nov 12 / 07:40:00 PM ET, Palace of Auburn Hills, Detroit, Michigan

There’s not much to say about the Detroit Pistons.  After seven games played this season, the nightmare does not seem to stop for the Bad Boys. The Pistons, who are one loss away from setting a new team record for the worst start in franchise history, are 0-7 for only the third time in team since relocating to Motor City, doing so in 1962-63 and again in 1980-81.

Despite the difficulties, the winless Pistons have the chance to end their season's skid when they return to the Auburn Hills to face the Oklahoma City Thunder in their first game back home since the season opener vs. Houston.

The game comes just three days after the Thunder handled Detroit its sixth consecutive loss of the season in a105-94 victory on Friday at Chesapeake Energy Arena. Now, the Pistons need something more than a few adjustments if they want to win their first game of the season. They also need to avoid frustration and give increase their shooting percentage. Through seven games, the Pistons were outscored by an average of 11.5 points per game and have been able to reach the 100-point mark only once this season (105-103 loss vs. Sacramento Kings).

But while the Pistons continue struggling, the situation seems to be the opposite for the Thunder. Oklahoma City is riding a four-game winning streak and recorded a 106-91 triumph Sunday versus the Cleveland Cavaliers. The streak also includes Friday's 105-94 victory over the Pistons, which represented their seventh consecutive win in the series. However, only two of those contests were held in Detroit, with the latest on Oct. 29, 2010.

Game Odds:
Oklahoma City Thunder: -6.5-110, ML -300
Detroit Pistons: +6.5-110, ML +250
Game Total: 195.5, o/u: -110

The Pistons and Thunder met in Oklahoma City on Friday, November 9th, with the Thunder winning 105-94. Although the Pistons lost the match, statistically speaking, Detroit wasn’t that disastrous in the first matchup. Pistons' frontline did a good job, with Andre Drummond scoring 22 points and eight rebounds and one steal in 21 minutes, and Greg Monroe adding 14 points, 10 rebounds, six assists and three blocks that night.  The weakest point for Detroit was its defense. The Pistons allowed the Thunder to shoot 53.5 percent from the field on Friday and weren’t able to contain forward Serge Ibaka and Kevin Durant. Ibaka set a career high with 25 points that night while Durant had 25 points and 13 rebounds.

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NCAA Football Week 11: No. 15 Texas A&M Aggies vs. No. 1 Alabama Crimson Tide

Date/Time: Sat, Nov 10 / 03:35:00 PM ET, Bryant-Denny Stadium, Tuscaloosa, Alabama

Top-ranked Alabama Crimson Tide (9-0, 6-0 in SEC) skipped a major upset in its national title defense after overcoming a 4^th quarter deficit to defeat the No. 5 LSU Tigers 21-14 in Baton Rouge. Now the Crimson Tide heads home for a three-game homestand to close out the regular season, which is set to start this weekend with the game against 15th-ranked Texas A&M Aggies (7-2, 4-2 in SEC).

The game marks just the fifth time these two teams meet and the first since 1988, when Alabama defeated the Texas A&M 30-10. Currently the Crimson tide holds a 3-1 advantage over the Aggies; although Saturday’s game represents A&M's first-ever trip to Tuscaloosa.

Alabama is without any doubt the best team in the NCAA Football. But not all has been easy for the Crimson Tide. Last week, the team showed a vulnerable side for the first time this season. After winning its first eight games by an average of 32.5 points, Alabama was on the verge of losing its first game of the season. The team needed a late touchdown pass from A.J. McCarron to pull out a 21-17 come-from-behind victory at the Tiger Stadium. The game against LSU was definitely the toughest test of the season for the Crimson Tide, but the coming game vs. Texas A&M is likely to be equally difficult for Alabama.

So far this season, the Aggies have surprised its rivals and proved they can compete with the SEC's strongest teams in their first year in the league. Their only two losses of the year came to No.6 Florida Gators and No. 7 LSU by a combined eight points. The team, which is fresh from a 38-13 victory over the Mississippi State Bulldogs, has averaged 559.6 total yards, which is close to break the SEC record of Alabama Crimson Tide helmet534.4 set by Florida in 1995. Additionally, the Aggies rank fifth in the NCAA in total offense and fourth in scoring (44.67), 19th in passing, 10th in rushing, and 4th in scoring offense. The Aggies’ record is also their best after nine games since 2006, and the team has a chance to set a winning record in conference play for second time in six years.

Game Odds:
Texas A&M Aggies: +13.5-110, ML +425
Alabama Crimson Tide: -13.5-110, ML -550
Game Total: 56.5, o/u -110

For the Crimson Tide, who has two national championships and a 45-4 record dating back to 2009, every game is vital. Losing a game means dropping the chance to play the BCS game, and after their last minute win over LSU, Alabama needs to score a victory this Saturday to battle for the SEC West title. If they lose to the Aggies, the Tide would have beat Western Carolina and Auburn to secure an SEC Championship berth.

On the other hand, a victory for the Aggies will consolidate the team among the best squads in the nation. If they win, they will jump into the top ten by the Week 11 and increase their chances to play a Bowl game. While the Aggies have no chances to make it to the 2012 BCS Championship game, the team still has a shot at one of the SEC’s second-tier bowl games such as the Cotton Bowl, Capital One Bowl or Outback Bowl.

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NBA Betting Preview: Philadelphia 76ers vs. New Orleans Hornets

Date/Time: Wed, Nov 7 / 08:11:00 PM ET, New Orleans Arena, New Orleans, LA

With a 1-2 record, the Philadelphia 76ers are heading to the Big Easy tonight. But given the Hornets' performance so far this NBA season, surviving the four quarters with a win won't be so easy.

The New Orleans Hornets have a 2-game winning streak propping up their egos. That includes a victory on the road against Chicago on Saturday, and, more impressively, they did it without Anthony Davis, who was sidelined with a concussion.

Aiding them was Robin Lopez, who scored 16 points against Chicago. Standing in for Davis was Ryan Anderson, who impressed with 12 points and 13 rebounds. And lets not forget about Jason Smith, who netted 16 points in less than 16 minutes of court time.

Anthony Davis is expected to return to the floor tonight. But while sports bettors are excited about his return, it's Greivis Vasquez who has NBA followers stoked the most, thanks to his stellar 18 points against the Bulls.

Tonight, they'll all face some competition in the Philadelphia 76ers, especially with Jrue Holiday on the squad. He leads Philly in scoring with 19.3 points per game, 8.7 assists, and an impressive 3-point shooting success rate of 63%

But the 76ers aren't faring so well with center Andrew Bynum still sidelined. He's been absent in every game so far because of a knee problem. With Bynum benched, Philly's offense has struggled significantly. Through a total of three games, Philly has averaged 85.3 points per game, and only three players are scoring in the double digits.

Game Odds:
Philadelphia 76ers: -1-110, ML -120
New Orleans Hornets: +1-110, ML EV
Game Total: 180, o/u-110

Despite playing in Louisiana, the latest odds on NBA for this game show the Sixers as one point favorite to win this game. Now,  bettors should note that the 76ers have won four of their last five match ups against the Hornets since the 2009-10 NBA season. And in New Orleans, the 76ers have won two of the last three matchups.

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NBA Betting Preview: Orlando Magic vs. Chicago Bulls

Date/Time: Tue, Nov 6 / 08:11:00 PM ET, United Center, Chicago, IL

After the legendary Dwight Howard trade, many predicted the Orlando Magic would finish at the bottom of the Eastern Conference this NBA season.

Today, Orlando remains undefeated, much to the shock of fans all across the country. Their two double-digit victories at home so far includes a 102-89 beating of the Denver Nuggets plus a 115-94 victory that eclipsed the Phoenix Suns.

All eyes turn to Glen Davis tonight, who has clearly become the offensive nexus of the Orlando Magic. They’re aiming to go 3-0 for the fourth time in franchise history. And they have a good shot. Davis has averaged 25.5 point and nine rebounds through two games.

However, tonight might be different because the Magic wont have point guard Jameer Nelson thanks to a hamstring injury. And Heldo Turkoglu is out with a broken left hand.

The Magic will face a Chicago Bulls squad that’s fresh off a bad loss Saturday night. In the matchup against the Hornets, three bench players for the Bulls scored in double figures. But Richard Hamilton and Kirk Hinrich failed to impress with a combined six points.

Sports bettors might want to note that the Bulls shot a horrible 17.6 percent from beyond the arc. And from the field? It wasn’t much better with a 33% success rate.

NBA followers might want to note that the Bulls have won five of their last seven meetings with Orlando, but the Magic took down the only game between the two teams in Chicago last season.

Game Odds:
Orlando Magic: +9-110, ML +400
Chicago Bulls: -9-110, ML -500
Game Total: 187.5, o/u-110

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Monday Night Football Betting Preview: Philadelphia Eagles vs. New Orleans Saints

Date/Time: Mon, Nov 5 / 08:11:00 PM ET, Mercedes-Benz Superdome, New Orleans, LA

New Orleans QB Drew Brees has the weight of an entire team on his shoulders. He’s pretty much become a one-man show for his New Orleans Saints, much to the sadness of sports bettors  and Saints fans. It’s a team that has a defensive line with way too many holes in it, a barely-there running game, and the all-too-fresh bounty scandal to contend with.

Tonight, he’ll face off against Michael Vick and his struggling Philadelphia Eagles. The Eagles, who have lost three straight games, will enter this game as 3 point underdogs according to the latest Lines for NFL.

So far this season, Vick has turned it over an astonishing 13 times, including eight interceptions and five fumbles. His performance—not to mention Philadelphia’s 3-4 record—has scores of fans calling for Vick’s replacement.

The Eagles started off the season with three wins in their first four games. But then a dismal defense let go of leads in matchups against Pittsburgh and Detroit. Unfortunately for the Eagles, the defense isn’t their only problem. Philadelphia ranks 28^th in the league in scoring, with an average 17.1 measly points per game.

The Saints, on the other hand, don’t have a problem scoring. They’re 6^th in the NFL with a 27.1-point average. Football followers will know that aside from their 34-14 loss last week to the Denver Broncos, the Saints got at least 24 points on the board in every game this season.

And what about their defense? Nothing but horrible. They’re the first team since 1950 to surrender more than 400 yards in seven consecutive games. They’re more than 200 yards worse than the NFL leading San Francisco 49ers, with 271.4. And they’re not even close to the Buffalo Bills, who are ranked 31^st with 424.1.

And without coordinator Gregg Williams—who was banished for his big role in the bounty scandal—their defense has pretty much collapsed. New Orleans also ranks dead last in the NFL in rushing, with 72.6 yards.

Game Odds:
Philadelphia Eagles: +3-115, ML +130
New Orleans Saints: -3-105, ML -150
Game Total: 52, o/u -110

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Kansas City Chiefs vs. San Diego Chargers Betting Preview

Date/Time: Thu, Nov 1 / 08:11:00 PM ET, Qualcomm Stadium, San Diego, CA

Kansas City is on the verge of losing five straight games for the first time since 2009. They did win against the Saints on September 23^rd, but that came in OT.

Kansas City is now hoping Matt Cassel will get things going for them. Regular QB Brady Quinn took a blow to the head in the game against the Raiders, and he’s not yet cleared to play.

Kansas City comes in with 25 turnovers, which is the highest in the league. Their passer rating is the  lowest at 64.4.

The San Diego Chargers haven’t exactly been impressive; but considering who they’re facing, they could find themselves being the superior team.

That’s assuming Robert Meachem doesn’t blow it like he did last week. And if they can up their running game, which was barely average against Cleveland last week.

The Chiefs allow 29.9 points per game. And they’ve lost eight of 10 San Diego matchups. San Diego has lost three straight; even so, they still could prove too much against against the 1-6 Chiefs.

Game Odds:
Kansas City Chiefs: +7.5-110, ML +270
San Diego Chargers: -7.5 -110, ML -330
Game Total: 41, o/u-110

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