Wizards' sale to Leonsis nears completion

Basketball Betting Lines

04/27/2010 - Arlington, VA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The family of late Washington Wizards owner Abe Pollin has agreed to economic terms to sell its share of the team to Ted Leonsis, the owner of the NHL's Washington Capitals and WNBA's Washington Mystics.

"We join our mother Irene, the sole principal owner of the franchise today, in congratulating Ted Leonsis and his Lincoln Holdings partners on reaching this near-final step in a long negotiation," said Robert and James Pollin, Abe Pollin's sons. "All three of us look forward to them enjoying many years of success on the court and in the community with this wonderful franchise."

Pollin passed away last November at the age of 85. He appointed Leonsis as his heir when the two became partners in 1999. Leonsis already owns 44 percent of the team and the Verizon Center and had the first right to purchase the remaining 56 percent from the Pollin's family. Pollin sold the Capitals to Leonsis in 1999 and then sold him the Mystics in 2005.

Pollin had been the longest-tenured owner in the NBA, having purchased the Baltimore Bullets in 1964 and renamed the team in 1997. He also had the Verizon Center constructed, where the Wizards, Capitals and Mystics all play.

The final sale is pending approval from the NBA Board of Governors.

Wwwbetandwin Basketball Betting News

<< Driesell named men's hoops coach at The Citadel
Charleston, SC (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Citadel has named Maryland assistant Chuck Driesell as its next men's head basketball coach. Driesell recently completed his fourth season on Gary Williams' staff at Maryland and becomes the 2

<< Hall of Fame Brewers broadcaster Uecker to have heart surgery
Milwaukee, WI (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Legendary broadcaster Bob Uecker announced at a press conference Tuesday he will undergo heart surgery later this week and be away from the Brewers broadcast booth for the next 10-12 weeks. "I feel goo

<< Cards activate C LaRue from DL
St. Louis, MO (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The St. Louis Cardinals have activated catcher Jason LaRue from the 15-day disabled list and optioned catcher Bryan Anderson to Triple-A Memphis. LaRue has been sidelined with a strained right

<< Kuznetsova rolls in Porsche opener
Stuttgart, Germany (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Reigning champion Svetlana Kuznetsova was an easy first-round winner Tuesday at the $700,000 Porsche Tennis Grand Prix, a clay-court Roland Garros tune-up. The third-seeded Kuznetsova pasted Slov

<< Olic's hat trick seals Bayern's spot in final
Lyon, France (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Ivica Olic scored a hat trick to lead Bayern Munich to a 3-0 win over Lyon on Tuesday at the Stade de Gerland, and into the Champions League final on aggregate, 4-0. Bayern won the first leg in Munich 1-0 on

A's disable P Anderson, make other moves >>
Oakland, CA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Oakland Athletics have placed left-hander Brett Anderson on the 15-day disabled list with left elbow inflammation and a forearm strain. The move is retroactive to April 25. Anderson, who recently sign

Braica takes over men's hoops at St. Francis College >>
Brooklyn Heights, NY (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - St. Francis College has announced the hiring of Glenn Braica as men's head basketball coach. Braica, who has spent the last six seasons as an assistant at St. John's under Norm Roberts, previous

Papajohns.com Bowl extends ties with SEC, Big East >>
Birmingham, AL (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Southeastern Conference and the Big East have agreed to four-year extensions through 2013 to continue their respective affiliations with the Papajohns.com Bowl. The Mid-American Conference will be th

Flyers' Laperriere most likely lost for remainder of playoffs >>
Philadelphia, PA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Philadelphia Flyers forward Ian Laperriere will most likely be lost for the remainder of the playoffs. Flyers general manager Paul Holmgren announced on Tuesday that Laperriere, who was spared

Red Sox recall Castro, option Atchison >>
Toronto, ON (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Boston Red Sox recalled pitcher Fabio Castro from Triple-A Pawtucket and optioned pitcher Scott Atchison to Pawtucket. The 25-year-old Castro is expected to be in uniform for Tuesday's game a

MySportsbook.com and Kentucky Derby Offer Bonuses
The 2008 Kentucky Derby has announced a $1-million bonus for this weekend’s 134th ‘Run for the Roses’ and MySportsbook.com is doing the same.

Well, not quite $1 million, but MySportsbook.com is offering a 75% rebate for Kentucky Derby lines. Check out the exclusive horse racing bonus for all the details.

According to MySportsbook.com, the favorites for Saturday’s Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky are: Curlin (+250); Street Sense (+500); Scat Daddy (+700); Circular Quay (+750); and Nobiz Like Shobiz (+800).

Derby organizers announced this week that there will be a $1-million bonus at the 2007 Kentucky Derby odds if the first-place horse wins by more than 6 1/2 lengths – the margin of Barbaro's victory last year. The bonus would be divided Saturday among the winning trainer, jockey, owner and a charity, with each receiving 25 percent. The designated charity is the Barbaro Memorial Fund.

''It's certainly creative, it's certainly fun and it has something for the horsemen, which we always want to embrace,'' Churchill Downs president and chief executive Robert Evans said at a news conference. ''What's really cool is it will force us to remember Barbaro.''
    
Meanwhile, the Derby favorite – Curlin – is going against the odds this year. It's been 125 years since Apollo won after skipping his 2-year-old season, and not since Regret in 1915 has such a lightly seasoned horse worn the blanket of red roses.

Arkansas Derby winner Curlin – unbeaten in three career races – tries to overcome both those obstacles in Saturday's 133rd Derby.

''We're not running against history,'' trainer Steve Asmussen said Monday. ''We're running against who they load up.''

Six other horses have run in the Derby without benefit of 2-year-old races and with three or fewer starts. The best any of them managed was a sixth-place finish by Showing Up last year.
   
Asmussen dismissed suggestions that Curlin's lack of racing experience could keep him from the winner's circle.

”He exudes confidence and he's got a great presence about him,'' the trainer said. ''I feel great about the position we're in. He's not worried about anything, why should you be?''
   
The Kentucky Derby is at 4:04 p.m., ET Saturday.

For complete odds on the Kentucky Derby, visit MySportsbook.com. Mysportsbook.com online sportsbook accepts Visa and Mastercard credit cards.