My first triple

I just came back from Vegas (not a winner mind you, just back). Easily the best time was sitting in and around the sportsbook, cheering with a betting slip/future bookmark in hand. Now back home, I figured that I would try to bring that magic back and put in blog form the thoughts in my convoluted head how I could make untold fortunes by hitting on a glorious parlay (read: sucker bet). Like any good gambler, you sometimes have to make do with what's out there; not every game is going to be Lakers-Suns or the Super Bowl. Where's the fun in that? No, I want to capture the sheer joy of picking a WAC game over as Saturday Night Live ends on a cool October evening (I think the host will be John Krasinski). So pop culture will be a part of it too. Lines will be taken generally from bodoglife.

Part 1: Ottawa-Pittsburgh (NHL) under 5-1/2 goals (-130)
Oooh - NHL playoffs! No more shootouts, slightly less goonery (but not an eradication of said goonery), post-series handshakes, and scrolling through DirecTV to find Versus (still 603, right?). I'll freely admit, I haven't followed much hockey since the lockout. Sadly, it's off the radar once the games are of the WorldWide Leader. Still, the Penguins have a guy in Gatorade commercials (it's either Sidney Crosby or Mia Hamm) - that has to count for something. So this guy was/is the savior of hockey in Pittsburgh, and last year's playoff debut against the Sens did not go well - quick work by the eventual Eastern Conference champs 4-1. I see it as the pressure being on the Pens. Definitely don't want to go out early 2 in a row. This one stays close to the vest, maybe opening up in game 2.

Part 2: Philadelphia (NBA) -4 (-110)
Okay, who in the name of Andrew Toney let the Sixers get moderately good? Andre Miller since December is a solid PG a lot of teams could use; AI 2.0 can fill the stat sheet; Dalembert does things that are ... Dalember-ry. Okay, this isn't the Showtime Lakers, but they should be past the point where they are surprising people now - you know you'll be up for a fight all night with them. Now Deee-troooyyt Bas-Ket-Baaaaaaalllll! is in mild shutdown mode right now getting ready for the playoffs and all. I guess they have to shut down to make sure playoff updates can take effect. Don't you hate it when you have to reboot and it takes so long to configure? I've got to clean out my start folder.

Part 3: American Idol "Idol Gives Back" raises over $100 million (-150)
I'll admit it, I 'm sort of an Idol fan. Not a "go down to Staples, get some poster board, markers, and glitter, cut and paste a picture, proclaim myself an 'Arch-Angel', and hit speed dial on an 866 number" FAN, but a fan. I like the singing, I like stars being made, I like people having to bust their ass to stay alive, and I LOVE the stiffly choreographed musical numbers/Ford commercials. 7 seasons and they keep doing them, God bless 'em. Anyway, I wanted to do an Idol wager and this intrigued me. I looked up on wiki to see what last year raised - approx. $70million. Now this year, they have been pimping it from day 1 (where last year it got kinda sprung). I figure that the American people being told what's good for them will make them come through on this number. As auto part king Ray Zalinski (and Callahan Brake Pad seller) said, “What the American public doesn’t know is what makes them 'The American Public'." Auto parts, multi-media conglomeration talent show - same thing. Trust me.

Units bet: 1
Units to win: 4.69
Result: Lose (unless you people give to "Idol Gives Back", dangit!)

--Doneycat