Bartoli, Kanepi among first round winners in Rome

Tennis Betting Lines

05/03/2009 - Rome, Italy (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Marion Bartoli and Kaia Kanepi were among the first round winners at the $2 million Internazionali BNL d'Italia tennis event.

The 11th-ranked Bartoli, of France, topped China's Peng Shuai, 6-0, 7-6 (7-3) in just under 90 minutes on the red clay at Foro Italico. Estonia's Kanepi, the 16th seed, was a 6-4, 6-3 winner over American Vania King.

In other first round action, Slovak Daniela Hantuchova deafeted Russian Vera Dushevina, 6-4, 6-1, and Spain's Carla Suarez Navarro topped Great Britain's Anne Keothavong, 7-6 (7-5), 6-4.

One of two three-set matches of the day went to Sybille Bammer, who was a 7-6 (7-3), 4-6, 6-3 winner over China's Li Na, while the other went to Spain's Maria Jose Martinez Sanchez, who battled from a set down to beat Amelie Mauresmo, 4-6, 7-6 (7-4), 6-2.

A pair of qualifiers moved on, as Kazakhstan's Yaroslava Shvedova beat Samantha Stosur 6-4, 6-2 and Japan's Ayumi Morita beat Monica Niculescu 6-1, 6-3.

The other matches featured Patty Schnyder topping Columbia's Mariana duque Marino 7-6 (7-1), 6-3, Lucie Safarova beating Mariya Koryttseva 7-6 (7-5), 6-2 and Francesca Schiavone defeating Alberta Brianti 6-3, 6-4 in an all- Italian matchup.

Serbian star Jelena Jankovic bested France's Alize Cornet in last year's Rome finale.

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Academy Award Betting Odds for Best Picture Offer Great Value

If there is any category that is not an obvious win for any one nominee in this year's Academy Awards, it would be for Best Picture.  Sure the Departed is a 5/7 favorite, but that's hardly anything when we look at Helen Mirren and her "out-of-reach" 1 to 40 odds (which means you would win a whopping $1 for every $40 bet).

For value, take a look at MySportsbook.com Oscars betting odds on my personal favorite, The Queen - a remarkable 12 to 1 long shot.  The film hasn't won any pre-awards for Best Picture (compared to The Departed and Little Miss Sunshine), but there is a tremendous following and it is a strong enough film to warrant a surprise win.

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"It hasn't done well in the guilds, which means there isn't much industry support," said Tom O'Neil of awards site TheEnvelope.com, "But several critics are expecting it to win, and that gets my attention." Babel had 7 to 2 odds at press time.

Who is to say independently produced Little Miss Sunshine won't be this year's Crash.  Last year, Crash won for Best Motion Picture, shocking those who bet on gay cowboy flick, Brokeback Mountain, as the favorite to win. 

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