The sports betting world is full of all sorts of opportunities for every fan. The NHL and NBA are in playoff mood, while MLB is almost two months in the books. With baseball betting, however, it is wise to stay on top of the latest news, as the season is a marathon and teams can hit peaks or suffer major blows at any time.

The Boston Red Sox have been one of the biggest surprises of the season, and not in a good way. They have been trailing in the very competitive AL East all season, save for opening day, and though the season is young, it seems their championship hopes have been hanging in the balance for weeks.

After last night's game against the New York Yankees, it is safe to say that the Red Sox playoff hopes have officially ended. They can give up on 2010, and start preparing for 2011. And while it is only May and there is still about 120 games left to play, it is not premature.

Alex Rodriguez hit a game tying two run home run in the bottom of the ninth in Yankee Stadium last night. Later that inning, Marcus Thames ended the game and capped the Yanks comeback with a two run shot of his own as the Yankees prevailed 11-9 in a while finish in the Bronx. With the loss, the Sox fell to 19-20 and eight and half games behind first place Tampa Bay. They trail the Yankees by six and a half games; the Yanks and Rays look to battle it out for the division, with the loser earning the Wild Card spot.

There are plenty of games remaining, but the Sox simply don't have the talent. A team built on pitching has allowed the most runs in the AL. The teams ahead of them simply won't falter. Look for them to start making big changes, as they look to 2011.