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MLB

WBC Semi Finals: USA vs. Japan

Sportsbook.com Preview: WBC Semifinals

Team USA is battered, but not broken

Team USA has advanced to the Semifinals of the World Baseball Classic despite suffering an avalanche of injuries.

There are only four teams left in the Classic as the semifinals get ready to start Saturday night in Los Angeles with Venezuela playing Korea at 9 pm ET.

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MLB

World Baseball Classic Predictions

Some WBC Betting Second-Round Predictions

March Madness odds are here! Woo hoo! I – oh, sorry, wrong blog. Just getting a bit ahead of myself, I suppose. I can’t help it, though – there are few events in online sports betting more exciting than March Madness betting. Maybe when (if?) The WBC odds are around long enough to develop cache, they’ll get people more pumped at the sportsbook.

Anyway, why not make a few picks for the next round of World Baseball Classic betting?

Instead of Pools, this round breaks down into two groups, with the top two teams from each group reaching the semifinal.

Group 1: Korea, Cuba, Japan, Mexico

Picks: Cuba, Japan

Forgive me for not respecting Korea in the WBC odds, but I just think it got a bit lucky in winning Pool A. Jung Bong, who has major-league experience, befuddled Japan in a 1-0 shutout. But Japan crushed them 14-2 in the first meeting, so the discrepancy in results looks like a fluke to me. I think Japan may have the best 1-2 pitching punch in the WBC odds in Dice-K and Yu Darvish, so I think it can join Cuba, who has looked as dominant as any team, in the semifinal.

Group 2: Puerto Rico, Venezuela, USA, the Netherlands (!)

Picks: Venezuela, USA

No Puerto Rico? Can you trust me at the sportsbook? I dunno, but I just have a feeling. Puerto Rico breezed through its pool, admittedly, and pounded the Cinderella Dutch twice. But I still think Venezuela matches up to them pretty evenly in talent, hitting-wise and pitching wise. More importantly, the Venezuelans are playing chips on their shoulders, mainly due to some weird political undertones that had Venezuelan fans booing Magglio Ordonez in round one. Puerto Rico hasn’t really been tested yet and could be overconfident, whereas Venezuela had to grind its way out of Pool C. The U.S. is a lock, since it’s the deepest team and has the home-field advantage for the rest of the WBC odds.

Happy WBC betting, folks!

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Sportsbooks

2009 WBC Gambling + Sportsbook Handicapping

WBC: U.S. ready for revenge

World Baseball Classic betting is attracting attention across the globe, but the biggest story continues to be the American team.

USA was expected to have a great showing in the inaugural 2006 tournament, only to finish outside the Final Four after barely squeaking by the opening round.