Dortmund tests 14-game run against Leverkusen

Soccer Betting Lines

02/10/2012 - Dortmund, Germany (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Borussia Dortmund returned to the summit in the Bundesliga last weekend, but the defending champions will face a stern test Saturday against Bayer Leverkusen.

Dortmund is unbeaten in 14 straight, and with three successive wins since the league returned from its winter break, coach Jurgen Klopp's side has regained its favorite status to repeat as champions.

Although Dortmund struggled in European play once again this season, Klopp has put together the best side in Germany again. His side secured a semifinal spot in the Pokal Cup earlier this week.

Dortmund has not missed young star Mario Gotze, but any dip in form will prove fatal with Bayern Munich still on its heels in league play. The clubs are also on a collision course in the Pokal Cup, either in the semis or the final.

Klopp will not overlook Leverkusen this week as his opponents did advance into the last 16 of the Champions League, even though Bayer has struggled in league play recently with just one win in its last five.

"We know some things, but we don't know everything," Klopp said about Bayer.

Bayer has been a work in progress under first-year coach Robin Dutt, and could line up in a number of formations this week on the road.

With Barcelona awaiting in the Champions League on Tuesday, Leverkusen needs a boost and a win over Dortmund would provide the perfect medicine. But Dortmund has lost just once at home and dropped points twice in league play.

Leverkusen has been decent away from home with just two losses in 10 matches.

Bayern Munich will defend the Allianz Arena against 16th-place Kaiserslautern, although without star midfielder Bastian Schweinsteiger.

He suffered ankle ligament damage against Stuttgart in the Pokal Cup, but with Bayern through after a 2-0 road win, the team enters the league game with some confidence.

Coach Jupp Heynckes will have to shuffle his lineup, and decide whether Thomas Muller - who started against Stuttgart - or Arjen Robben gets the start on the right wing.

Bayern has played better this season without Robben, who has struggled to find top form after missing the early part of the season. Bayern played its best at that time, leaving Heynckes in a tough spot as to what to do with Robben.

Schalke travels to Monchengladbach in Saturday's other match involving top-six clubs, with third place on the line. Schalke currently sits third on 41 points - level with Bayern - while Gladbach is just one point back.

With the top four separated from the pack, the winner should emerge with one foot in the Champions League next season. Schalke, led by Klaas-Jan Huntelaar and his 16 goals, has the second-most goals scored this season (46). Gladbach has allowed the fewest (12).

"Gladbach are a well organized side. They defend well, switch the play quickly and like to have the ball in their attacking half," said Schalke manager Huub Stevens.

"Our opponents set out to keep the ball a long way from their own goal. That's clever. We have to be patient against such a team and when we create chances we have to make sure we take them."

Markus Babbel will debut as Hoffenheim's coach at Werder Bremen on Saturday, and Mainz hosts Hannover and Stuttgart hosts Hertha Berlin in the day's other matches.

Augsburg hosts Nurnberg and Cologne hosts Hamburg on Sunday to end the week's action. Wolfsburg hosts Freiburg on Friday to open the week's action.

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Albert Pujols to be This Year's Home Run Champ Says Online Sportsbook

Barry Bonds is a 50-1 long shot to be this year's home run champ odds.  The favorite to be this year's home run champ is none other than Albert Pujols, however.

Now that Barry Bonds is signed and in Giants camp, it is on to his pursuit of all of sports most prestigious records: the all-time home run mark. Bonds sits just 21 homers shy of tying Hank Aaron for the career mark at 755. Word out of Giants’ camp is that Bonds is the healthiest he has been in a few years. Bonds is just two seasons removed from his injury riddled 2005 campaign where he played in only 14 games and hit only 5 home runs. He did come back last year and had a solid season hitting .270 with 26 bombs. All eyes will be on Bonds this spring and summer not only because of his home run chase but his highly publicized steroid abuse allegations. If and when Bonds breaks the record, he surely will not get the positive attention one should for breaking a record that was once thought of as “unbreakable”. Despite Bonds decent season last year, he is just 50-1 at MySportsbook.com to lead the MLB in long balls this season.

Not surprisingly, the favorites to go deep the most times this season are Albert Pujols 5-1, Ryan Howard 6-1, David Ortiz 8-1 and Alex Rodriguez 12-1. With 49 homers, Pujols finished second in the National League behind Howard (58). Pujols is considered the favorite due to the consistent power numbers that he has posted since breaking into the league in 2001. Also one must consider the fact that he played in 16 fewer games then Howard did due to an injury. Howard smashed 58 homers in his first complete season of big league play en route to the National League MVP odds award. He silenced his critics by successfully hitting left-handed pitching. Howard also displayed the ability to use his power to the opposite field. Two attributes which should keep Howard amongst the league leaders in long balls for years to come. From the American League representatives, David Ortiz leads the field. Ortiz was second in the majors last year with 54 home runs. Except for 1999 when he only played in 10 games, Ortiz has improved on his home run numbers each year he has been in the majors (1997).

Be sure to log onto online sports betting site MySportsbook.com to check out the odds for who will lead the MLB in home runs this season. Below is just a sample of the players listed. With the highest credit card rates in the industry, MySportsbook.com is the place to bet on baseball this summer.

World Series odds

Adam Dunn 15-1

Albert Pujols 5-1

Alex Rodriguez 12-1

Alfonso Soriano 15-1

Andruw Jones 25-1

Barry Bonds 50-1

Carlos Delgado 40-1

David Ortiz 8-1

Jermaine Dye 40-1

Ken Griffey Jr. 100-1

Lance Berkman 40-1

Manny Ramirez 20-1

Richie Sexson 40-1

Ryan Howard 6-1

Travis Hafner 20-1

Vladimir Guerrero 40-1

To visit this online sportsbook got to MySportsbook.com - this sportsbook accepts credit cards.