Bears hit Briggs with franchise tag

Football Betting Lines

02/16/2007 - Lake Forest, IL (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Chicago Bears designated linebacker Lance Briggs as their franchise player on Friday.

The designation means that Briggs will be guaranteed a one-year contract for an average of the five highest paid players at the position, which is an estimated $7.2 million. This is the first time that the contract is guaranteed thanks to the new Collective Bargaining Agreement that has gone into effect.

Briggs, who was to become an unrestricted free agent March 2, can still sign an offer sheet with another team. However, the Bears have the right to match the deal or receive two first-round draft picks as compensation.

Briggs had a career-high 176 tackles and was selected to his second straight Pro Bowl this season.

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It's less than a month until the NHL hockey betting season opens at MySportsbook.com and preparations are underway for another battle in the race to hoist Lord Stanley's mug in 2007.

As cup crazy fans prepare to place their bets, one online sportsbook ,MySportsbook.com, is offering hockey betting lines on the 2007/2007 Stanley Cup , who will bring it home this upcoming season.

Despite a poor showing in last season's playoffs and the loss of Steve Yzerman to retirement, the Detroit Red Wings are early favourites at this online sportsbook with wagering odds of 6-1. The Wings will look to offensive powerhouse Pavel Datsyuk and newly appointed captain Nicklas Lidstrom to lead one of the league's most prominent franchises.

Always a threat are the Ottawa Senators, with newly acquired goaltender Martin Gerber from the Stanley Cup champion ,Carolina Hurricanes. The Sens are second best in the rankings at a 7-1 bet, and odds makers at this sportsbook are optimistic that the Ottawa squad will fare better than last season's Eastern Conference semi-final upset to the Buffalo Sabres.

Also worth noting are the defending Stanley Cup champs Carolina Hurricanes, a 10-1 bet to repeat. Behind the Canes are the New Jersey Devils, Calgary Flames, Buffalo Sabres, Philadelphia Flyers, and Anaheim Mighty Ducks all sit at 12-1. In the basement are the Washington Capitals, Chicago Blackhawks, and St. Louis Blues who all have 100-1 odds to win.

To visit this online sportsbook got to MySportsbook.com for all your hockey betting needs.