Report: Artest joining Lakers

Basketball Betting Lines

07/02/2009 - Los Angeles, CA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Free agent forward Ron Artest is reportedly leaving the Houston Rockets to join the Los Angeles Lakers and will provide the team with more offensive firepower next season, as he'll join Kobe Bryant and Pau Gasol on the defending NBA champions.

Artest told CBSsports.com via text message he was in Los Angeles to join the Lakers and didn't "care about the money" and that he would "play there for nothing."

According to the Los Angeles Times, the Lakers could finalize a deal with the 29-year-old that will pay him the full mid-level exception, possibly $32 million over five seasons. It would represent a pay cut after Artest made $7.4 million last season.

Even if the two sides were to reach an agreement soon, no deal could be officially announced until July 8, per league rules.

The Thursday news regarding Artest came on the same day another superstar had an introductory press conference. Ex-Laker Shaquille O'Neal met the media in Cleveland and said he wanted to "win a ring for The King" in reference to his new pairing with reigning MVP LeBron James.

Artest spent last season with the Rockets, helping Houston get to the conference semifinals for the first time since 1996-97. After spending three seasons in Sacramento, Artest averaged 17.1 points, 5.2 rebounds and 3.3 assists in 69 regular season contests with Houston.

For his career, spanning 12 seasons, Artest has game averages of 16.1 points, 5.1 rebounds and 3.2 assists with Chicago, Indiana, Sacramento and Houston. He has also established himself as one of the top-flight defenders in the league.

In another twist, the man Artest would replace in the lineup -- Trevor Ariza -- reportedly was offered a contract by the Rockets. The LA Times reported that Ariza, who was instrumental in the Lakers' playoff run to the title, was offered a contract near the value of the mid-level exception.

Ariza averaged 11.3 points per game in the postseason after posting 8.9 points per game in the regular season. His career scoring average is 6.9 points.

Wwwgo2hk Basketball Betting News

<< Angels come to terms with first-round pick
Anaheim, CA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim came to terms on a minor league contract with outfielder Michael Trout, the 25th overall pick in the 2009 First-Year Player Draft. Trout, who played his high school ball

<< Holy Cross tabs Kearney to replace Willard
Worcester, MA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Holy Cross named Sean Kearney its new head men's basketball coach on Thursday. Kearney, who becomes the 15th head coach in the history of the program, replaces Ralph Willard who resigned last mo

<< Astros swarm Padres; bees delay game
San Diego, CA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Wandy Rodriguez threw seven strong innings to help the Houston Astros take a 7-2 win over the San Diego Padres in an unusual finale of a four-game set. Rodriguez (7-6) gave up just one run on seven hits w

<< CFL's Bruce fined for Michael Jackson celebration
Mississauga, ON (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Toronto Argonauts All-Star wide receiver Arland Bruce III was fined an undisclosed amount for a celebration tribute to Michael Jackson in the team's victory over Hamilton on Wednesday. After scoring a

<< Pressel among Jamie Farr leaders
Sylvania, OH (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Morgan Pressel, Laura Diaz and Song-Hee Kim each fired rounds of seven-under 64 on Thursday to share the opening-round lead of the Jamie Farr Owens Corning Classic. Suzann Pettersen and Michelle Wie ar

Cubs reliever Cotts has Tommy John surgery >>
Chicago, IL (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Chicago Cubs relief pitcher Neal Cotts underwent Tommy John surgery on Thursday and will be sidelined indefinitely. Cotts was 0-2 this season with a 7.36 earned run average before being demoted to Tri

Wellemeyer pitches Cardinals over Giants >>
St. Louis, MO (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Todd Wellemeyer threw 7 1/3 innings to help the St. Louis Cardinals take a 5-2 win over the San Francisco Giants and split a four-game series. Wellemeyer (7-7) scattered seven hits and two runs with a

Diaz helps Braves slip past slumping Phils >>
Atlanta, GA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Matt Diaz belted a go-ahead RBI double in a three-run eighth, as the Atlanta Braves recorded their first home sweep of the Phillies since 2005 with a 5-2 victory at Turner Field. Garret Anderson added a t

Mayfield a no-show at Daytona >>
Daytona Beach, FL (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Sprint Cup Series driver and team owner Jeremy Mayfield was not present at Daytona International Speedway on Thursday, one day after a federal judge granted him a temporary injunction to race again,

Stockton and Gates lead Edmonton Open >>
Edmonton, AB (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Brady Stockton and Robert Gates both fired rounds of seven-under 65 on Thursday to share the first-round lead of the Edmonton Open. Liam Kendregan and Jon Turcott both shot 66s in round one and ar

SPORTS BETTING: NFL Football Sportsbook Betting

NFL owners, already life's biggest winners, want to try their luck with the lottery.


That was the news out of their meetings last week, where team bosses voted unanimously to allow stamping state and local lottery tickets with franchise logos, if, ahem, any governments wanted to do a deal.

A shocker: Within days the Pats announced they'd be sponsoring the Massachusetts state lottery, the Skins said they'd slap their sticker on Virginia scratch-offs and the Ravens admitted they were talking to Maryland lottery bosses. In all likelihood, it won't be long before every team is a presenting sponsor of scratch-offs or just plain old pick fives. "The change in policy was approved 32-0," said NFL spokesman Greg Aiello. "So you can expect to see more deals soon."

It's a branding opportunity too big for the owners to ignore, and one a couple of dozen baseball franchises have enjoyed for years. The fact the NFL has been slower to act than those slack-brained Seligites is indicative of its complicated relationship with all forms of gambling. Consider this: Last Thursday, as the Pats and the Redskins finalized their new lottery deals, a lawyer representing the NFL argued before Delaware's Supreme Court that the state's newly signed sports betting law should be repealed.

The NFL betting is the face of opposition to sports gambling . And as much as it would like to share that responsibility with other leagues, that's not going to happen as long as more than 40% of all money legally wagered on games is bet on football. That's why the Brewers can do a multi-million dollar deal with a local casino, or the Celtics can make their own pact with the Mass lottery, and the response is, "Sweet, let's play." But when the NFL does it the stakes are higher, and everyone from NPR's Frank Deford to the Associated Press to the guys blogging at Deadspin will line up to play gotcha.

So I asked Aiello, who surely knew there'd be piling on, how the league can rail against being bait for sports bettors, then allow its franchises to be just that for lotteries, the most insidious and addictive form of gambling around. He emailed me this response: "We are not moral crusaders. NFL personnel are permitted to engage in legal forms of gambling, except for betting on NFL games. We are making a distinction here between the spread of gambling on the outcome of our games and supporting state lottery scratch-off games, that have nothing to do with the outcome of our games."

Here's where I should rip him. But, the thing is, he's right. Not to get Obama on you, but this is a complicated, nuanced issue. As much as lotteries are considered a tax on the poor, the NFL isn't a socially obligated government program -- it's just a business. Scratch-off's help the bottom line, sports betting doesn't. Now, it's okay to call the league hypocritical when it releases injury reports, which players have told me only helps bettors … But when it supports other forms of gaming? Big Deal.

Now, it's okay to call the league hypocritical when it releases injury reports, which players have told me only helps bettors. And it's okay to mutter something obscene when the league pretends gambling doesn't help drive TV ratings and fan interest and put money in owners' pockets. But when it supports other forms of gaming? Big Deal. The Bears should put an orange "C" on every deck of cards dealt at Harrah's in Joliet; the Eagles should slap their logo on roulette wheels at the Borgata in Atlantic City; the Dolphins should hold training camp at the El San Juan in Puerto Rico.

Seriously.

The NFL's problem, when it comes to the gambling world, isn't hypocrisy, it's worse: The bosses lack vision. That's why the league is picking unwinnable fights in Delaware and taking pot shots from critics after making smart sponsorship deals. Roger Goodell and his gang are acting and thinking locally rather than globally, which is rare for them, especially compared to their professional (and amateur) counterparts.

The NBA held its All Star game in Las Vegas and David Stern's kingdom didn't crumble (although the town did bring plenty of players to their knees.) I'd say it's 6 to 5 and pick 'em that Lebron will make a road swing through Sin City before his career is over.

Even the NCAA College Football Betting is more progressive on this issue than the NFL. Several years ago Rachel Newman Baker, college sports' gambling czar, opened a dialogue with Vegas bookmakers to learn about how they do business. She's visited Nevada sports books, studied their operations and listened to how they regulate action. Now she knows she can expect a call from bookmakers, who lose money when sports are fixed, if they think something sketchy is going on in NCAA games. She's not in favor of sports betting, but, as she once told me, "I know it's not going away, either."

The NFL can't seem to accept that. And until it can find peace with the idea, it'll get flack, even when it's right.

To visit this online sportsbook got to MySportsbook.com for all your Sportsbook accepts MasterCard needs.

MySportsbook features easy-to-use online betting software that’s the most reliable in the industry. If you’re looking to bet underdogs, then this Sportsbook is the place - we have the best betting lines in the business. MySportsbook is your one-stop shop for all your betting needs - sports betting, poker, casino, and horse racing . MySportsbook offers every bet type with lightning fast settlement of wagers. Take advantage of free statistical analysis - including against-the-spread and straight-up trends - in MySportsbook’s game previews section. With MySportsbook there are unlimited free deposits and payouts - and no transaction fees!

To visit this online sportsbook got to MySportsbook.com - this sportsbook accepts credit cards.