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The biggest bankroll builders and busters of the decade
By DAVID PAYNE | December 29, 2009
Global recession, my ass.
Not everyone lost money the first 10 years of the century, especially wise guys who consistently bet the farm on the decade’s most generous cash cows.
But those cash cows were far out-numbered by teams that excelled in sending bettors toward bankroll-ruptcy.
Here’s a look at the best and worst bets of the decade.
MLB
Best: Los Angeles Angels
Only seven baseball teams produced a profit this decade. The Angels were by far the best bet.
A $100 player who bet on the Angels every game the past 10 seasons made $10,888.
Their most profitable season was this year, when they finished at +$3,734.
The only other teams to report a profit this decade were: Florida (+$3,411), Minnesota (+$4,550) Oakland (+6,635), San Francisco (+2,466), St. Louis (+$7,423) and Texas (+$447).
The Mariners produced the most profitable single season of the decade. Their 120 wins in 2001 resulted in a profit of $4,693.
Worst: Chicago Cubs
Baseball fans’ affection for the Loveable Losers cost them dearly. The Cubs lost a $100 player $16,276 this decade. The Cubs had profitable seasons only twice and they were puny. In 2008, they made $969 and in 2001, they finished up $318.
Other high-profile losers include: the Yankees -$5,233, Red Sox -$1,170, Dodgers -$2,294 and Mets -$6,151.
The Diamondbacks produced the worst single season this decade, losing $6,125 in 2004.
NBA
Best: San Antonio Spurs
Small-market franchises with mundane stars are gold for gamblers. They’ll never receive the media hype or public love that inflates point spreads.
Tim Duncan and the Spurs were just that team.
The Spurs, who won titles in 2003, 2005 and 2007, went 510-450-19 against the spread this decade, covering the number 52 percent of the time.
Now, compare that to the glitzy Lakers, who won four titles this decade, but went only 485-487-20 ATS.
The mighty Sacramento Kings were the second most successful team in the Association, covering 51.1 percent of the time.
The fledgling Charlotte Bobcats, who popped into the NBA in 2004, covered 51.8 percent of their first 436 games.
Worst: Washington Wizards
Congrats to the Clippers for finally not being the worst at something. That title went to the Wizards, who went 393-461-16 ATS this decade and covered the number a pathetic 45.1 percent.
The Clippers will have to settle for second to last. They covered a whole 45.6 percent (391-449-16) of the time.
NFL
Best: Baltimore Ravens
Defense wins championships. It also makes gamblers money.
The Ravens opened the decade by winning the Super Bowl and covered 54.8 percent of their games the past 10 seasons.
Baltimore edged the Eagles (54.5 percent) and Patriots (53.8 percent) to become the decade’s most profitable NFL squad, despite posting the worst single-season ATS mark with 2007-08’s 3-13 campaign.
The Chargers finished with the best single-season ATS mark, with 2004-05’s 13-1-2 mark.
Worst: St. Louis Rams
The Rams entered the decade as the best team in football. They leave it as the worst.
St. Louis covered only 43.6 percent of their games (100-125-5 ATS) the past 10 seasons. They finished above .500 ATS only three times, with the lowlight being 2002’s 4-12 ATS mark.
NCAA Football
Best: Boise State Broncos
The boys from the Blue Turf joined the WAC in 2001 and made an immediate and prolific impact.
The Broncos have gone a remarkable 80-46-3 against the spread this decade. That’s a ridiculous 62 percent.
The next closest was Iowa, which covered at a 58 percent rate.
Boise State went 38-21 ATS at home this decade, with their best single-season mark coming in 2002, 10-3 ATS.
Boise State is the only non-BCS team to finish among the Top 10 in ATS winning percentage this decade.
The best-single season ATS record was 10-1. Maryland did it in 2001-02; Louisville in 04-05, and Kansas in 07-08.
Worst: Washington Huskies
This once-proud program won the 1991 National Championship and kicked off the decade by winning the 2000 Rose Bowl. It’s been downhill ever since.
The Huskies finished above .500 against the spread only once and produced the worst single-season performance of the decade with last year’s 1-11 mark. They were especially bad against Pac-10 competition, going a dismal 29-54-2 ATS against conference foes.
NCAA Basketball
Best: Memphis Tigers
John Calipari may end up landing Memphis on probation, but bettors sure appreciated the run.
The Tigers covered 56 percent (185-136-9) of their games under Calipari.
Kent State produced the top single-season ATS mark, going 24-9-1 in 2001-02.
Worst: Fordham Rams
Oddsmakers couldn’t make the Rams big enough underdogs. Fordham covered only 40.3 percent (104-150-4) this decade.
The worst single-season AT performance was shared by North Carolina State and Loyola Marymount, who each went 6-21 ATS in 2007-08.
NHL
Best: Boston Bruins
It was even tougher to turn a profit on the ice than on the diamond. Only five teams in the NHL produced a moneyline profit this decade.
The Bruins were by far the most profitable, finishing at $3, 001, highlighted by 2008’s uber-successful $3,449 campaign.
Other teams to post a profit: Detroit $1,178; Ottawa $1,699; Washington $734, and Minnesota $170.
Worst: Tampa Bay Lightning
There was plenty of bad on the ice this decade, including 2004-05’s lockout. But no one cost bettors more bank than Tampa Bay. And it wasn’t even close.
The Lightning finished down $-10, 583. The second biggest loser, Columbus, lost just $-7, 270.
By DAVID PAYNE | December 29, 2009
Global recession, my ass.
Not everyone lost money the first 10 years of the century, especially wise guys who consistently bet the farm on the decade’s most generous cash cows.
But those cash cows were far out-numbered by teams that excelled in sending bettors toward bankroll-ruptcy.
Here’s a look at the best and worst bets of the decade.
MLB
Best: Los Angeles Angels
Only seven baseball teams produced a profit this decade. The Angels were by far the best bet.
A $100 player who bet on the Angels every game the past 10 seasons made $10,888.
Their most profitable season was this year, when they finished at +$3,734.
The only other teams to report a profit this decade were: Florida (+$3,411), Minnesota (+$4,550) Oakland (+6,635), San Francisco (+2,466), St. Louis (+$7,423) and Texas (+$447).
The Mariners produced the most profitable single season of the decade. Their 120 wins in 2001 resulted in a profit of $4,693.
Worst: Chicago Cubs
Baseball fans’ affection for the Loveable Losers cost them dearly. The Cubs lost a $100 player $16,276 this decade. The Cubs had profitable seasons only twice and they were puny. In 2008, they made $969 and in 2001, they finished up $318.
Other high-profile losers include: the Yankees -$5,233, Red Sox -$1,170, Dodgers -$2,294 and Mets -$6,151.
The Diamondbacks produced the worst single season this decade, losing $6,125 in 2004.
NBA
Best: San Antonio Spurs
Small-market franchises with mundane stars are gold for gamblers. They’ll never receive the media hype or public love that inflates point spreads.
Tim Duncan and the Spurs were just that team.
The Spurs, who won titles in 2003, 2005 and 2007, went 510-450-19 against the spread this decade, covering the number 52 percent of the time.
Now, compare that to the glitzy Lakers, who won four titles this decade, but went only 485-487-20 ATS.
The mighty Sacramento Kings were the second most successful team in the Association, covering 51.1 percent of the time.
The fledgling Charlotte Bobcats, who popped into the NBA in 2004, covered 51.8 percent of their first 436 games.
Worst: Washington Wizards
Congrats to the Clippers for finally not being the worst at something. That title went to the Wizards, who went 393-461-16 ATS this decade and covered the number a pathetic 45.1 percent.
The Clippers will have to settle for second to last. They covered a whole 45.6 percent (391-449-16) of the time.
NFL
Best: Baltimore Ravens
Defense wins championships. It also makes gamblers money.
The Ravens opened the decade by winning the Super Bowl and covered 54.8 percent of their games the past 10 seasons.
Baltimore edged the Eagles (54.5 percent) and Patriots (53.8 percent) to become the decade’s most profitable NFL squad, despite posting the worst single-season ATS mark with 2007-08’s 3-13 campaign.
The Chargers finished with the best single-season ATS mark, with 2004-05’s 13-1-2 mark.
Worst: St. Louis Rams
The Rams entered the decade as the best team in football. They leave it as the worst.
St. Louis covered only 43.6 percent of their games (100-125-5 ATS) the past 10 seasons. They finished above .500 ATS only three times, with the lowlight being 2002’s 4-12 ATS mark.
NCAA Football
Best: Boise State Broncos
The boys from the Blue Turf joined the WAC in 2001 and made an immediate and prolific impact.
The Broncos have gone a remarkable 80-46-3 against the spread this decade. That’s a ridiculous 62 percent.
The next closest was Iowa, which covered at a 58 percent rate.
Boise State went 38-21 ATS at home this decade, with their best single-season mark coming in 2002, 10-3 ATS.
Boise State is the only non-BCS team to finish among the Top 10 in ATS winning percentage this decade.
The best-single season ATS record was 10-1. Maryland did it in 2001-02; Louisville in 04-05, and Kansas in 07-08.
Worst: Washington Huskies
This once-proud program won the 1991 National Championship and kicked off the decade by winning the 2000 Rose Bowl. It’s been downhill ever since.
The Huskies finished above .500 against the spread only once and produced the worst single-season performance of the decade with last year’s 1-11 mark. They were especially bad against Pac-10 competition, going a dismal 29-54-2 ATS against conference foes.
NCAA Basketball
Best: Memphis Tigers
John Calipari may end up landing Memphis on probation, but bettors sure appreciated the run.
The Tigers covered 56 percent (185-136-9) of their games under Calipari.
Kent State produced the top single-season ATS mark, going 24-9-1 in 2001-02.
Worst: Fordham Rams
Oddsmakers couldn’t make the Rams big enough underdogs. Fordham covered only 40.3 percent (104-150-4) this decade.
The worst single-season AT performance was shared by North Carolina State and Loyola Marymount, who each went 6-21 ATS in 2007-08.
NHL
Best: Boston Bruins
It was even tougher to turn a profit on the ice than on the diamond. Only five teams in the NHL produced a moneyline profit this decade.
The Bruins were by far the most profitable, finishing at $3, 001, highlighted by 2008’s uber-successful $3,449 campaign.
Other teams to post a profit: Detroit $1,178; Ottawa $1,699; Washington $734, and Minnesota $170.
Worst: Tampa Bay Lightning
There was plenty of bad on the ice this decade, including 2004-05’s lockout. But no one cost bettors more bank than Tampa Bay. And it wasn’t even close.
The Lightning finished down $-10, 583. The second biggest loser, Columbus, lost just $-7, 270.
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