By now sports betting enthusiasts who initially took the Buffalo Sabres as the 2010-11 NHL Stanley Cup Champion, have been able to change their wager. However, if you were unable to do so and still believe that the recent turn around by the Sabres is for real, your betting online dreams of a Sabres championship were put to bed on Friday.

On Christmas Eve, former Kitchener Ranger and current Buffalo Sabre Derek Roy received the worst present of all as he found out that his season in effect is over due to a quadriceps injury. In the Sabres most recent game a four to three loss against the New York Rangers, Roy tore part of quadriceps at the seven minute mark of the first period during a collision with a Rangers player.

Surgery on the injury will sideline Roy for the next four to six months. The injury comes as a costly blow to a Sabres team that has had numerous injuries to battle through this season. As a result of all of the injuries, the Sabres got out of the gate slow and occupied the 14^th of 15 seeds in the NHL’s Eastern Conference. But after a win over the Toronto Maple Leafs in early November, the Sabres appeared to be getting their legs back as they slowly climbed up the rankings.

But with Roy’s most recent injury, the final nail appears to have been placed in the Sabres coffin. Aside from Roy, some other integral players to the Sabres success that have gotten injured, include, all world goaltender Ryan Miller, and fellow forward Jason Pomminville. Of the three players, Pomminville has missed the most time, as he has suffered from two concussions this season.

Before succumbing to season ending injury, Roy led the team with 10 goals and 25 assists in 35 games this season. With the next player on the team only at 27 points in 35 games, the Sabres will have their work cut out for them the rest of the way.

Those betting on NFL odds will have a busy Sunday, but the NHL will also resume after a couple of days off, and here is a look at the top three games to check out.

Lightning Thrashers Betting – Sunday, 7:00 PM ET

The Thrashers will likely be favored at home, and one of the biggest surprises in the NHL will be trying to snap an eight-game skid at the hands of Tampa Bay, who are also achieving more than anyone thought they would. Three of the last five meetings have gone over the posted total.

Penguins Senators Betting – Sunday, 7:30 PM ET

The Penguins should be the online NHL betting favorites on the road in this game, as they’ve won seven of their last 10 against the Senators, and they’re 7-3 in their last 10 trips to Ottawa, where they will meet up with former teammate Sergei Gonchar. Four of the last five meetings between the two have gone over the posted total.

Ducks Kings Betting – Sunday, 9:00 PM ET

The Kings should be favored at home in this Pacific Division showdown, and they’re 2-3 in their last five meetings with the Ducks, including a split of a pair of games at the Staples Center. Three of the last five meetings have gone under the posted total, and the Kings will be happy to have this game at home, where they are 11-2-1 as of Tuesday. The Kings need to step up their game away from home to earn your Stanley Cup faith at online betting sites.

Wagering on sports is a worldwide industry that rakes in profits in the billions on an annual basis. From your local bookie, to the slew of online sportsbooks, sports betting is extremely easy to partake in. Of course, the reason there are so many avenues available to potential bettors is due to the profit made by these bookmakers. It is very important for new bettors to understand the concept of the vigorish before risking their bankroll.

What is the Vigorish?

The vigorish, also known as the juice or the vig, is the amount charged by a sportsbook or bookmaker for providing their services. The idea behind the concept of the vigorish is tat the sportsbooks need to make money on their wagers regardless of the outcome of the sporting event. The vig works in conjunction with the point spread or the odds for any sporting event by driving up the action on both sides to minimize risk and ensure that the sportsbook will make a commission.

Who Pays the Vigorish?

When bettors place wagers with a sportsbook, they must risk $110 to win $100. Let’s say there is a football game between two strong teams, the Pittsburgh Steelers and New England Patriots. Neither team is favored, making the odds 50/50. You bet $110 on the Patriots while your buddy makes the same bet on the Steelers. The sportsbook receives a total of $220. After the Patriots win, you collect $210. The remaining $10 goes to the sportsbook as a form of commission or vigorish. That is how bookmakers, online sportsbooks and even blackjack online make their money.

As you can see, the vigorish is deducted from winnings. The losing bettor risked $110 and lost but did not pay any additional fee to the bookmaker. In contrast, the winning bettor made $10 less than the amount wagered. It is often assumed that the loser pays the vigorish but in fact, that is not the case. The loser actually played for free while the winner forfeited 9.1 percent of their wager.

Avoiding Vigorish by Betting on Underdog

Let’s say there is a basketball game between the Los Angeles Lakers and Portland Trailblazers and the Lakers are favored to win by two points. You bet $100 on Portland to win the game outright. Because the odds of them winning are lower than Los Angeles, your payout would be more than what you risked. In short, the safer the bet, the lower the payout. Same goes in betting in casino, the higher your bet, the higher online casino bonus you get – the more risk you assume, the higher the reward.

Those betting on college football should also fit some NHL betting into their schedule on the first day of bowl season, and here are three matchups to keep your eye on, along with a few trends.

Rangers Flyers Betting (Saturday, 1:00 PM ET)

The Flyers should be favored at home, although Chris Pronger is now out for 4-6 weeks after foot surgery, and they’re 3-2 SU in their last five games at home against the Rangers. Four of the games have gone under the posted total, and both are in the top half of the league in goals allowed.

Capitals Bruins Betting (Saturday, 7:00 PM ET)

The Bruins will be favored at home in this contest as the Capitals have lost seven in a row, and they seem to have forgotten how to light the lamp. The Capitals are 3-2 SU in their last five trips to Boston, and again, four of the last five have gone under the posted total. Washington needs a big game to snap out of their funk.

Maple Leafs Canucks Betting (Saturday, 10:00 PM ET)

The Canucks will be favored at home against the Maple Leafs, who are 2-3 SU in their last five games in Vancouver. Two of the games have gone under the posted total, and one game was a push. The Canucks have won seven of their last 10, while the Leafs have been inconsistent as of late, as if those who make an online sports bet need a reason to avoid them.

If these teams were college football betting options, it’s likely that they wouldn’t garner invites to the upcoming blows that will get underway later this month.

New York Islanders- The Islanders fired Scott Gordon on November 15^th, and the Isles have lost seven of eight since. They’re just not a good hockey team, but they are still very young. Don’t bother with them at all this season.

New Jersey- Martin Brodeur and Zach Parise were injured, Ilya Kovalchuk is trying to do too much, and the Devils look as bad as, well, as bad as we’ve ever seen.Only once in the last 10 games have the Devils scored more than two goals.

Florida- The Panthers have a decent defense, but what does it matter when you can’t score? Florida is fifth in goals allowed, but 25^th in goals scored. You do the math. If the Panthers figure out how to light the lamp, they could be a problem.

Calgary- The Flames shouldn’t be as bad as they are, but they’re inconsistent and you just never know which Calgary team is going to show up from game to game. Their defense is struggling this year, for a change.

Toronto- The Maple Leafs simply can’t score, and they give the puck away like it’s their job. It can’t be long for Ron Wilson in Toronto now, although he’s very tight with GM Brian Burke, who isn’t going anywhere. Giving Wilson the axe may bring a brief spike in confidence, but without a top-line center, don’t bet on the Maple Leafs.

1. Jeff Skinner

• Skinner is a true rookie in every sense, and has been nothing short of fantastic for the Carolina Hurricanes. The Canes are 11-12-3, but Skinner has been a bright spot for the team and their fans, with an impressive 20 points on eight goals and 12 assists so far this season. The 18-year-old has defied the logic of young players needing time in the AHL to develop before contributing in the big leagues, coming straight from juniors and stepping in as one of Carolina’s best players this season. If Skinner can continue his torrid offensive start, he should find himself in prime position for the Calder Trophy by the end of the year.

2. John Carlson

• Carlson has been everything the Capitals needed and hoped for from their promising rookie this season. Washington is once again near the top of the NHL standings, and a large part of their success has to do with how solid Carlson has been on the blue line. The 20-year-old Ontario native has provided a great defensive presence and is racking up over 20 minutes of ice time per game. Carlson has three goals and ten assists so far this season, and while his point total won’t be off the charts at the end of the season, his contributions to his team cannot be overvalued.

3. Sergei Bobrovsky

• Bobrovsky hasn’t just been the best rookie netminder this season-he’s been one of the best goaltenders in the NHL. The Russian is seventh in the league in goals against average and save percentage, and just behind Carey Price and Jimmy Howard for total wins on the season. Bobrovsky has routinely seen his name in hockey news headlines thanks to the major contributions he has made to a Flyers squad that is first in the Atlantic Division.

4. Jordan Eberle

• Edmonton knew that they were getting a trio of young studs this season in Taylor Hall, Eberle, and Magnus Paajarvi, but few would have guessed how thoroughly Eberle has stolen the spotlight. The rookie scores and passes effectively, and has 18 points on five goals and 13 assists so far this season. On an Oilers squad hurting for leadership and consistency, Eberle has been one of the team’s most productive players, averaging just under 20 minutes of ice time each night.

5. Derek Stepan

• The 20-year-old American was one of the biggest surprises to start the season, and has continued to impress hockey experts with his mature style of play. The Rangers are third in the Atlantic and Stepan has been a steady presence at centre for the team. Stepan is on pace for a 45-point inaugural season, after being the only Ranger to register a goal in the team’s loss to Colorado. While there is still some fine tuning that needs to be done to his game, Stepan is already a solid NHL contributor and should only get better in seasons to come.

While most will be doing NCAA football betting on the championship games, there is a trio of NHL betting matchups on Saturday that are worth a look in your online sportsbook. Here are a few trends to keep an eye on.

Sharks Canadiens Betting – Saturday, 2:00 PM ET

The Canadiens are one of the best home teams in the league, and they should be favored in Montreal, where the Sharks are 2-3 in their last five trips.Three of the five meetings have gone under the posted total, and this could go the same way as both starting goalies in the top five in terms of goals against.

Bruins Maple Leafs Betting – Saturday, 7:00 PM ET

The Bruins should be favored in Toronto, who are helping the Bruins put together a nice team by giving them high picks for Phil Kessel. The Bruins are 3-2 in their last five trips to Toronto, and three of their last five meetings have been decided by a goal. Three of the five have also gone over the posted total.

Red Wings Kings Betting – Saturday, 10:30 PM ET

In the marquee matchup of the night, the Kings should be slight favorites at home, but they’re 1-4 in their last five home meetings with the experienced Red Wings, who don’t get flustered by going on the road. Three of the games have gone under the posted total, so be careful to check the total in your online sportsbook.