It’s Louisville that’s atop the NCAA Tournament odds at Bodog at 19/4 to win the title, with Indiana at 5/1, and Florida at 7/1. The Gators looked to be on track to claim the SEC Tournament title over the weekend before they blew a big lead against Mississippi in the second half of the championship game on Sunday afternoon. Florida ended up losing that game 66-63 in Nashville, and had to settle for the No. 3 seed in the South.

The top two seeds in the South are No. 1 Kansas and No. 2 Georgetown, who hold down 10/1 and 20/1 odds, respectively, on the opening March Madness betting lines at Bodog. Michigan, the No. 4 seed in that bracket, is farther back at 25/1 odds.

Louisville is No.1 in the Midwest, followed by No. 2 Duke, No. 3 Michigan State, and No. 4 Saint Louis. The Blue Devils are pegged at 14/1 odds at Bodog to win the NCAA Tournament, with Michigan State set at 18/1 on that list, and Saint Louis at 25/1.

Indiana is No. 1 in the East, with Miami at No. 2, Marquette at No. 3, and Syracuse at No. 4. On the Bodog odds to win the NCAA Tournament the Hurricanes opened with a line at 12/1, with Marquette well back at 66/1, and Syracuse pegged at 22/1.

Gonzaga is then No. 1 in the West Region of the NCAA Tournament bracket, where they’re joined by No. 2 Ohio State, No. 3 New Mexico, and No. 4 Kansas State. The Bulldogs are tied with Kansas at 10/1 odds at Bodog to win March Madness this year, with Ohio State at 16/1, New Mexico at 25/1, and Kansas State a longshot at 75/1.

In the regional odds, it’s Louisville as the +110 favorite to come out on top in the Midwest at Bet365, followed by Duke at +300, Michigan State at +500, and Saint Louis at +650. Indiana is the +110 favorite at Bet365 to win the East, with Miami at +320 on that list, Syracuse at +550, UNLV at +1200, and Marquette then at +1400.

The West odds at Bet365 have Gonzaga as the +200 favorite to win the region, with both New Mexico at Ohio State at +320, and Wisconsin at +800. Florida is the Bet365 leader on the odds to win the South at +180, followed by Kansas at +250, Georgetown at +400, and Michigan at +600 on those regional NCAA Tournament odds.

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For the Ravens to repeat, they will need to overcome some obstacles. First they’ll have to re-sign free agent Super Bowl MVP quarterback Joe Flacco, which is likely to happen. Then they’ll try to become the first team in nine years to win back-to-back titles – New England did it in 2004 and 2005. They’ll have to do so without the retired Ray Lewis, who has been the face of this franchise for over a decade; the Ravens went 1-4 SU and ATS in their last five games before Lewis’ return to action.

The Super Bowl runner-up San Francisco 49ers are going off at +700 to win the Super Bowl in 2014. One of the biggest questions surrounding the 49ers this offseason is will defensive coordinators be able to come up with an answer to the read option in 2013? If not, there is no reason to believe Colin Kaepernick won’t lead the team to another big year on offense, and you know Jim Harbaugh’s defense will once again be a physical force.

In order to get to the Super Bowl this season, Baltimore had to knock off the AFC’s top two teams, who should both be major threats again in 2013. Tom Brady and the New England Patriots are the current favorite to win Super Bowl XLVII at +600 and Peyton Manning and the Denver Broncos aren’t far behind at +800. Neither of these elite quarterbacks have shown any signs of slowing down as they get older.

Other early favorites include the Green Bay Packers (+900), Houston Texans (+1100), and Seattle Seahawks (+1200). Green Bay is just a couple years removed from its Super Bowl win in 2011, and Aaron Rodgers has led the team to two strong regular seasons since then; but the Packers defense was exposed against San Francisco this postseason. Houston and Seattle both have excellent quarterback/running back tandems in Matt Schaub and Arian Foster in Houston and Russell Wilson and Marshawn Lynch in Seattle.

A few recent Super Bowl winners are going off at long odds in the Pittsburgh Steelers (+1800), New York Giants (+2000), and New Orleans Saints (+2000).

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Bodog has the Niners favored and the OVER/UNDER at 47.5 points for the contest, with San Francisco already paying off against both the Green Bay Packers and the Atlanta Falcons so far in the postseason. The underdog Ravens, however, have been lucrative as well in the postseason with ATS wins over the Patriots, Broncos, and Colts.

Niners quarterback Colin Kaepernick, who took over from Alex Smith partway through the regular season, will be looking to continue a strong playoff run in New Orleans on Sunday, and he’s the 8/5 favorite on the Super Bowl MVP odds at Bodog heading into the game. Rival QB Joe Flacco is next at 11/4 on the odds to win the Super Bowl MVP award – he has eight touchdown passes and zero interceptions so far in the playoffs.

The Super Bowl props at Bodog have Kaepernick at 8/1 odds to score the first touchdown of the game, with Niners running back Frank Gore at 13/2 and Ravens running back Ray Rice at 15/2. Kaepernick also has a passing yards OVER/UNDER of 232.5 and a rushing yards OVER/UNDER of 50.5 for Sunday’s championship contest.

In the more exotic prop bets, heads and tails are the co-favorites at -105 for the coin toss, while the OVER/UNDER for the post-game handshake or hug between Jim  and John Harbaugh has been set at seven seconds on the Bodog NFL Super Bowl props.

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UNDER 84 AFC vs. NFC at 5Dimes

The total has gone OVER in 10 of the last 12 Pro Bowls, and each of the last two Pro Bowls have produced over 95 points of offense (96 in 2011 and 100 in 2012). As a result, the total has been set extremely high this year at 84 as bookmakers try to compensate for these inflated scores.

But this number may be too high. While Pro Bowl games do conventionally go over the total, the total has only gone over 82 three times in the last 40 years (2011, 2010, and 2004).

Part of the reason that the scores have been so high over the last two years is due to lack of effort on defense, which has prompted Commissioner Roger Goodell to threaten to cancel the game moving forward if the effort isn’t there this year. As a result, look for more effort from the players to make this a more entertaining game, and to keep it a bit more competitive and UNDER the total.

Baltimore +3.5 at San Francisco at Bodog

Fueled by the return of their heart-and-soul leader Ray Lewis, the Baltimore Ravens have knocked off three of the hottest teams in the NFL. Indianapolis was 9-2 SU and ATS going into its game against Baltimore, Denver was 11-0 SU and 9-2 ATS, and New England was 10-1 SU and 6-4-1 ATS; and all three fell to the Ravens.

While Lewis has done wonders for the resurgence of the defense, Joe Flacco’s play at quarterback has been impeccable. Colin Kaepernick’s sensational game against Green Bay has earned him most of this postseason’s headlines, but Flacco has 853 passing yards and eight touchdown passes with zero interceptions through three playoff games, all while out-dueling Andrew Luck, Peyton Manning, and Tom Brady.

San Francisco is undoubtedly tough, but so were Denver and New England. Betting underdogs are 8-3 ATS over the last 11 Super Bowls, and much like last year’s New York Giants, this Baltimore team looks to be getting red-hot at exactly the right time. Baltimore topped San Francisco 16-6 when the Harbaugh brothers met last Thanksgiving; look for the Ravens to come out on top in a much higher-scoring affair this time around.

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San Francisco 49ers -3.5 vs. Atlanta at 5Dimes

If anyone was still doubting Jim Harbaugh’s decision to take Alex Smith out in favor of Colin Kaepernick at quarterback, that doubt should be long gone after Kaepernick’s monster game in San Francisco’s 45-31 win over the Green Bay Packers last week. With the win, San Francisco earned its second straight berth in the NFC Title Game under Jim Harbaugh.

While Atlanta looked to be running away with its game against Seattle, the Falcons’ defensive struggles eventually caught up to them and almost cost them the game. Don’t expect San Francisco to dig itself a similar hole this Sunday. While Atlanta may have a chip on its shoulder trying to earn the league’s respect and its playoff stripes, San Francisco will also be playing hard for that Super Bowl berth that narrowly eluded them last season.

Atlanta struggled mightily with mobile quarterback Cam Newton in two games against Carolina this year. Kaepernick and Gore should give the Falcons trouble on defense, and San Francisco’s pass rush should disrupt Matt Ryan enough to give San Francisco the edge in this one.

Baltimore +9.0 at New England at Bodog

Picking against New England and this elite offense can be scary, but plenty of signs point to taking Baltimore and the points this Sunday.

For one, this team has the look and feel of a “team of destiny”. Entering the playoffs on a 1-4 SU and ATS skid, Baltimore got back its heart-and-soul leader Ray Lewis, who announced he’d be retiring at the end of the season. Since then, Baltimore has knocked off two red-hot teams; Indianapolis was 9-2 SU and ATS in its previous 11 games before losing to Baltimore and Denver was 11-0 SU and 9-2 ATS.

Secondly, these two teams always play close games. Each of the last three games played between Baltimore and New England have been decided by three points or less, and five of the last six have been decided by six points or less. The only game that wasn’t close over the last six was a 33-14 Ravens victory at New England back in 2010.

Baltimore has had success in slowing down Tom Brady before. Even if the Ravens lose, it isn’t likely to be by 10 points.

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Denver -8.5 vs. Baltimore at 5Dimes

In Ray Lewis’ return last week, the Baltimore Ravens looked more like the defense we’ve seen over the last 10 years than the version that has taken the field this year. Baltimore took care of business in a solid 24-9 win at home over the Colts.

But this week’s opponent is a whole different ballgame. Denver finished the season with a 12-0 SU and 10-2 ATS record over its last 12 games and was by far the NFL’s most consistent team week in and week out. Denver scored at least 30 points in all but two of those games and held opponents to 17 points or less in eight of them.

The Broncos made quick work of Baltimore back in Week 15 with a 34-17 win on the road, and now they get the Ravens at home. Peyton Manning was 7-0 SU and ATS in his last seven games against Baltimore with the Indianapolis Colts. Expect business as usual for Peyton and the Colts this Saturday.

Seattle +1.0 at Atlanta at Pinnacle

The playoffs have not been kind to the Atlanta Falcons in recent years. Atlanta came out of its bye week with a 24-2 loss to the eventual Super Bowl champion New York Giants last season and lost 48-21 to the eventual Super Bowl champion Green Bay Packers off their bye in 2010. Will this year be any different?

It doesn’t look that way. The Seattle Seahawks are red-hot, winners of six straight (5-1 ATS) and eight of their last nine (7-2 ATS). Russell Wilson has emerged as a star at quarterback, Marshawn Lynch is one of the league’s most reliable running backs, and this defense (allowing just 15.3 PPG) is nothing short of spectacular.

Sure, Atlanta had a great regular season (13-3 SU and 9-6-1 ATS), but that hasn’t helped the Falcons over the last two years. Atlanta’s weak rushing defense (allowing 123 rushing yards per game) and one-dimensional offense (281.9 passing yards per game to just 87.3 rushing yards per game) play right into Seattle’s hands, and point to an upset this Sunday.

In the other two playoff games this week, the San Francisco 49ers are -3.0 at home against the Green Bay Packers and the New England Patriots are -9.5 at home against the Houston Texans, both at Bet365.

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Cincinnati +4.5 at Houston at 5Dimes

When you look at the season as a whole, Houston was more successful than Cincinnati with a 12-4 SU (9-7 ATS) record compared to Cincinnati’s 10-6 SU (9-6-1 ATS). But recent form tells a very different story.

Cincinnati finished the season off 7-1 SU and ATS including impressive wins over the New York Giants, Pittsburgh, and Baltimore. Houston meanwhile finished the season 1-3 SU and ATS with three double-digit losses.

The Bengals have the defense to contain the Texans, especially if Matt Schaub continues to struggle as he has over the last month or so. In a matchup between two fairly evenly matched teams, getting so many points with the hot hand seems like the way to go.

Green Bay -7.5 vs. Minnesota at Bodog

Over the last two games against the Minnesota Vikings, including their game last week in Minnesota, the Green Bay Packers have had an Adrian Peterson problem. The star running back gashed Green Bay for 210 yards in a 23-14 loss in Green Bay earlier this season and 199 yards in last Sunday’s 37-34 win.

The change in venue is significant. The Packers are 6-1 SU and 5-2 ATS over their last seven home games against the Minnesota Vikings, including three straight wins both SU and ATS. As great as Adrian Peterson is, Christian Ponder leads the league’s least effective passing attack (just 171.9 passing yards per game), and it is hard to see him having a big day at Lambeau Field in January.

Also, as hard as his stats make it to believe, Adrian Peterson is human. Last week’s season-high 34 carries and the hits that came with them had to take their toll on Peterson’s body, and outside of the Dome in the brisk cold this Sunday those hits are only going to feel harder. This isn’t to say that he won’t be a major factor, but don’t expect him to be quite as dominant this week.

This will likely be a close game in the first half, but look for Aaron Rodgers and the Packers to eventually pull away and win this one by double digits.

Lines available on the other two playoff games this weekend (both at Bet365) are the Indianapolis Colts +6.5 visiting the Baltimore Ravens and Seattle Seahawks -3 visiting the Washington Redskins.

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Washington Redskins -3.0 vs. Dallas at 5Dimes

Sometimes it is all about peaking at the right time, and that is exactly what the Washington Redskins appear to be doing. Since their bye week back in Week 10, the Redskins are a perfect 6-0 SU and ATS including impressive wins at home against New York and Baltimore and on the road against Dallas and Cleveland, without having Robert Griffin III for the Cleveland game.

Washington is 4-1 SU and 5-0 ATS in five games against divisional opponents this season and will likely give the Cowboys more than they can handle on offense. The Redskins are averaging 30.3 points per game on offense over their current winning streak, and Dallas has allowed 33 points or more in three of its last five games.

Dallas won’t go down without a fight, and this should be a good game. But at home, look for Griffin to lead his team to another big divisional win to send the Redskins to the playoffs.

Indianapolis +7.0 vs. Houston at Pinnacle

It’s true, while Indianapolis is 8-2 SU and ATS over its last 10 games, the Colts have looked extremely pedestrian in those two double-digit losses to Houston and New England. Those two losses came on the road though, and at home the Colts are 6-1 SU and ATS this season.

On top of that, head coach Chuck Pagano returns to action this week after missing most of the season battling leukemia. The team has been inspired by their coach all season long, and having him back on the sideline should provide an even bigger emotional boost, especially at home.

Meanwhile, Houston hasn’t looked particularly sharp over its last three games with two double-digit losses of its own, one coming last week at home against Minnesota. Considering the Texans beat Indianapolis by just 12 points in Week 15, the change in venue, Pagano’s return, and a few bounces Indianapolis’ way could easily swing this week’s score six points in Indy’s direction.

Other lines available this week (all at 5Dimes) include NY Jets +3.5 at Buffalo, Miami +11 at New England, Baltimore +2.5 at Cincinnati, Jacksonville +4 at Tennessee, Philadelphia +7.5 at NY Giants, Dallas +3 at Washington, Chicago -3 at Detroit, Green Bay -3.5 at Minnesota, Carolina +5 at New Orleans, Kansas City +17 at Denver, Arizona +16.5 at San Francisco, and St. Louis +11.5 at Seattle.

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Washington Redskins -5.5 at Philadelphia at 5Dimes

Every year, certain teams catch fire at the right time to make a strong playoff push, and this year that team appears to be the Washington Redskins. Washington is a perfect 5-0 SU and ATS over its last five games, including an impressive win last week on the road against Cleveland with Robert Griffin III on the shelf with a knee injury.

RGIII is expected to return to action this week, and should be able to lead the red-hot Redskins to another win on the road against the Philadelphia Eagles. Philadelphia is 0-5 SU and ATS in its last five home games and Washington is 4-0 SU and 3-1 ATS in its last four games against NFC East rivals. The Redskins topped Philadelphia 31-6 in Washington back in Week 11, and while it may not be that easy this time around, Washington should be able to win by a touchdown or more.

Pittsburgh -4.0 vs. Cincinnati at Bet365

Cincinnati actually enters this game in better form with a 5-1 SU and ATS record over its last six games, but we like the Steelers to take care of business at home in this one.

Pittsburgh is 16-4 SU and 12-7-1 ATS over its last 20 games at home, and after a few off-games shaking off the cobwebs of his injury Ben Roethlisberger should be at 100% this week and ready to beat a team he has had plenty of success against over the course of his career. The Steelers are 8-2 SU and ATS over their last four games against the Bengals.

The winner of this game will control its own destiny for an AFC Wild Card spot. Despite Pittsburgh’s recent shaky play, at Heinz Field in December against the Bengals, they should be able to pull off a win.

Other lines available this week (all at Bet365) include Atlanta -3.5 at Detroit, Tennessee +13.0 at Green Bay, Oakland +9.5 at Carolina, Buffalo +4.5 at Miami, New England -14.0 at Jacksonville, Indianapolis -6.5 at Kansas City, New Orleans +3.0 at Dallas, St. Louis +3.0 at Tampa Bay, NY Giants +2.5 at Baltimore, Minnesota +7.5 at Houston, Cleveland +13.0 at Denver, Chicago -5.0 at Arizona, San Francisco +1.0 at Seattle, and San Diego +2.5 at NY Jets.

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Green Bay Packers -3.0 at Chicago at 5Dimes

Both recent form and recent history between these two teams point to a Green Bay victory. Green Bay is 7-1 SU and 6-2 ATS over its last eight games and looking sharp on both sides of the ball while Chicago is 1-4 SU and ATS over its last five games and looking shaky on offense.

Green Bay is 4-0 SU and ATS over its last four games against the Chicago Bears and 8-2 SU and ATS over its last 10 against the Bears. The Packers easily dispatched of the Bears 23-10 when the two teams met in Green Bay back in Week 2.

Green Bay can clinch the NFC North with a win this week. Chicago will certainly put up a fight, but without Brian Urlacher on defense the Bears won’t have enough to upset the Packers.

Seattle -5.5 at Buffalo at Pinnacle

Buffalo is just 1-3 SU and 1-2-1 ATS in four games at the Rogers Centre in Toronto, and things don’t figure to get much better this week hosting the Seattle Seahawks.

While it is true that the Seahawks are a weak road team at 2-5 SU and 3-4 ATS, they are coming off a big win in their last road game when they beat the Chicago Bears at Soldier Field. Seattle just matches up extremely well against Buffalo; Buffalo’s 28th-ranked rushing defense won’t have an answer for Marshawn Lynch and the Seahawks’ powerful running game, and suspensions to starting cornerbacks shouldn’t hurt against one of the league’s worst passing offenses.

Buffalo is 0-5 SU and 1-4 ATS against teams with winning records this season. The Bills have shown that they can’t hang with quality teams, and Seattle certainly is one.

Other lines available this week (all at Bet365) include Cincinnati -3.5 at Philadelphia, NY Giants +1.5 at Atlanta, Tampa Bay +3.5 at New Orleans, Minnesota +3 at St. Louis, Jacksonville +7 at Miami, Denver -3 at Baltimore, Indianapolis +8 at Houston, Carolina +3 at San Diego, Detroit -6 at Arizona, Pittsburgh -1.5 at Dallas, Kansas City +3 at Oakland, San Francisco +5.5 at New England, and NY Jets +1.5 at Tennessee.

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