We’re not exactly sure why Euroleague/BallinEurope.com sponsor Sporting Bet is disproportionately interested in SLUC Nancy’s chances in France this season, but with the online sportsbook’s posting of Nancy-related prop bets, we figured it’d be worth a look.
Last season ended disappointingly for the Euroleague’s Cinderella team. In SLUC Nancy’s first appearance in the big league after taking the French title in 2007-08, the team managed just a 2-8 performance. Back home, fourth-ranked Nancy was bounced by eventual champion ASVEL Basket in the semifinals. Could the growth curve first entered in the mid-1990s finally be straightening for Nancy?
As for repeating the 2007-08 title feat, Sporting Bet doesn’t much like Nancy’s chances, figuring the team to be a 7/2 underdog to take it all; a top three finish is in the bookie’s cards, however, with 12/25 odds that they’ll be standing on the podium with (presumably) some combination of ASVEL, Orléans and Lyon.
Perhaps most notable about the Nancy roster is the number of holdovers from last year: The entire roster is presently manned by members of the 2008-09 team and, in the case of Saidou Njoya and Yohann Jacques, development projects from the Nancy junior team.
That single fact will of course determine how to play this prop: If you believe a full season playing together will improve the team – recall that John Cox, Lamayne Wilson, Michel Morandais, Steed Tchicamboud, and Akin Akingbala were all brought aboard last year – then reckon Nancy could well take this league, particularly since France’s big three all appear to have gotten short ends of the stick in their offseason dealings. The biggest loss for Nancy ended up being T.J. Parker, who spent essentially the entire 2008-09 season injured anyway, to ASVEL.
Sporting Bet is also running some head-to-head props, which ask prospective punters to chose which team will finish with the best regular-season record. These include:
Nancy vs Lyon-Villeurbanne
Nancy: 5/4
Lyon-Villeurbanne: 4/7
Nancy vs Le Mans
Nancy: 23/20
Le Mans: 5/8
Nancy vs Roanne
Nancy: 2/5
Roanne: 17/10
Nancy vs Orleans
Nancy: 4/11
Orleans: 37/20
Additionally, SportingBet.com offers a couple of props which in the trade may technically be known as “sucker bets.” Nancy’s chances for relegation stand at 100/1, a prop bet certain to attract only haters and serious gamblers; meanwhile, the odds of Nancy going unbeaten at home sit at 66/1. Even as much as BallinEurope likes Nancy’s chances in both Pro A and in the French championship tournament (i’ll take ‘em in third in both), there’s just no way on this one … seriously, who goes undefeated at home? CSKA Moscow, maybe, in a good year?
For more information on Sporting Bet’s SLUC Nancy-related prop bets or any of the scads of European league betting they’ve got, check out SportingBet.com by clicking on the logos or banner at right. Good luck, all!
