PayPerHead.com, an online sportsbook service provider for local agents, today unveiled a new campaign featuring Vince Curatola, Johnny Sack of The Sopranos fame.

The campaign leads with Vince asking "Five bucks per head, that's what I wanna pay..." and the website, featuring video and voice overs by Vince, walks you through the product, the process and the competition.

"Five bucks a head is really an industry first given our level of service," a spokesman from PayPerHead.com explained. "And we very carefully and in great detail delineate on the website exactly what you get and at what price level at PayPerHead versus the other serious players, such as ABC Per Head."

You get a great deal of sports betting services, including not only the traditional online sportsbook but an optional casino, live poker, in game live betting, mobile betting, tools for managing players and their funds, layoff and scalp accounts, even a "sharp check." "We have the sharpest lines out there and one of the most experienced stages anywhere offshore," the spokesman said, "so if we start seeing sharp action from one of your players, we can give you a heads up. What you want to do with him is up to you."

The choice of Vince Curatola was an interesting one. "We always liked Vince's character on The Sopranos, as John "Johnny Sack" Sacramoni," the PayPerHead spokesman said. "He had a certain style, classy, but not over the top; there's a calmness and authority about him that we really admire.  He brings that serious business demeanor to PayPerHead.com, the first sportsbook-service to EVER feature any kind of celebrity in its marketing."

With post-up books like BetUS, Sportsbook.com and SportsInteraction stopping taking US players, Bodog and others struggling with "Ecom" processing problems, the street scene is heating up and players are posting daily in forums looking for a "local out." Most players want the huge selection of markets, including live in-game betting, and the convenience of anytime betting online or via a mobile device, but more and more, we hear players say "they want to bet online but want to settle in cash on Monday."

Many in the industry think this is the future of online sports betting – and it very well could be. And with firms like PayPerHead.com investing in marketing in an unprecedented way (celebs, who'd have thunk it?!) and in product (they also offer live poker, casino and in-game betting), expect to see this sector grow significantly this season.

For more information, see PayPerHead.com.

Gray Maynard and Frankie Edgar don't want to hear anything more about how they aren't main-event material. Not after the display they put on last time.

The last time the two lightweights tangled for Edgar's UFC Lightweight Championship belt, the fight community complained that Edgar-Maynard II lacked the WWE-style, trash-talking personas to sell tickets and pay-per-view purchases for UFC 125.

It was their loss, then, because Gray Maynard and Frankie Edgar decided to address the doubters with their fists.

The pair gave fans an absolutely classic fight, in which Edgar crawled back from a brutal first round to force the fight to go to the judges, and ultimately retained his UFC Lightweight Championship. The fighters traded fierce blows to the head throughout the fight, and Edgar turned the tables on All-American wrestler Maynard with a ferocious slam.

The three judges all gave the match different scores, and it ended as a draw - only the third time in UFC history that a title fight ended without a decision.

At the post-fight press conference, a UFC spokesperson stated that Anthony Pettis would bring his 13-1 record up against Edgar, but Dana White stepped in shortly after, deciding that Gray Maynard deserved another shot at the belt, given the quality of the fight and the fact that he's the only guy to ever beat Edgar.

After the tremendous display of toughness and striking the two displayed last time, expect the doubters to be much quieter heading into this rematch.

The 5-foot-6 Edgar has a significant size disadvantage against the hulking, 5-foot-8 Maynard, but "The Answer's" long reach allows him to stand up and trade with guys who initially look like mismatches. He's also developed the hand speed to deliver rapid four- and five-punch combos.

He'll have those quick hands full with "The Bully" Maynard, who will be looking to overcome the tremendous disappointment of their draw at a few months back. He's yet to lose a fight in his professional career and knows how to handle Edgar's speed.

UFC 130: Edgar vs. Maynard III kicks off on Saturday, May 28th at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas.

The Super Bowl was two weeks ago, the NHL and NBA are both in the final stretches of the regular season and March Madness betting lines don't open for a few weeks. Meaning to say, it is that time of year again to look at baseball fantasy matchups. Today fans about to bet on March Madness, can turn their attention to two potential rookies for the 2011 MLB season, Bryce Harper and Mike Trout. Today we try to decide which future MLB star we'd rather have on our team in 2011 fantasy.

Both Bryce Harper of the Washington Nationals and Mike Trout of the Los Angeles Angels play in the outfield. However, that is where the comparison ends, as Bryce Harper similar to pitching phenom and eventual teammate Stephen Strasburg, was a first overall pick. Harper, to the positional players of the Nationals is what Strasburg will be to the pitchers, the ace, the go to guy, the one that will guide the team to bigger and better things.

Harper is projected by many scouts to be a 50 home run guy, who can carry the offensive load. His defense projects to be decent, but not as good as current right fielder Jayson Werth. Expect Harper to come into the big leagues by 2013. Yet with the attendance numbers declining in Washington, he may be rushed to the majors by 2012.

Meanwhile, Mike Trout a player who was also a first rounder didn't get selected by the Angels until the 25^th spot of the first round. According to multiple scouting agencies, Trout is five tool raw talent, that could be with the Angels organization starting in 2012. He is currently blocked by fellow prospect Peter Bourjos. However, considering Trout has the ability to play all three outfield positions and Vernon Wells contract can be bought out in 2013, we may see Trout start his big league career in left field before switching to center.

What's more, Trout has a 20 home run, 80 RBI projection by most scouts, while hitting for an average of 300. In other words, while 20/80/300 are decent numbers, most teams will be banking on him for his defensive play.

Tennessee fans are finally being granted the matchup they desired all season long; a game against North Carolina, and better yet, they get to watch their Volunteers play in their home state. The Vols will suit up to play the Tar Heels on December 30^th in Nashville, hoping to carry the momentum of a four game winning streak at the end of the regular season into the bowl segment of the NCAA football schedule. Tennessee managed to salvage their season with the streak, finishing at .500 while North Carolina's year has been an ongoing disaster. The Heels were penalized with several ineligibility rulings by the NCAA, decimating their experienced defense which was presumed to be one of the nation's best units and rendering what was supposed to be a successful season into a lost one. Tennessee athletic director Mike Hamilton had cancelled the teams' scheduled meetings this season, believing that the Volunteers' schedule was too difficult, but after hearing the backlash from the university's fans Hamilton pleaded with bowl officials to slot North Carolina in the Music City Bowl.

Tennessee's turnaround began with Coach Derek Dooley's decision to replace starting quarterback Matt Simms with Tyler Bray, a freshman, after Bray had relieved Simms in three consecutive blowout losses to ranked opponents in October. Bray took over the team and passed for over 320 yards in three of the Volunteers' four wins down the stretch. The underclassman's inexperience showed in his unimpressive completion percentage, but his talent is undeniable - Bray led the offense to back to back 50 point games, including a 5 touchdown showing against Memphis in which Bray's quarterback rating was a ridiculous 190.30. Junior tailback Tauren Poole provides the needed balance for the young pivot, averaging over 5 yards per carry. Poole ran for 994 yards on the year but had 5 games in which he failed to gain over 60. The Vols will need Poole to be on point as the heightened atmosphere of a rivalry bowl game could overexcite Bray.

North Carolina Head Coach Butch Davis had been preparing for a season in which his team was to compete for a top-10 ranking in the NCAA football standings and a major BCS Bowl game, but after star defensive tackle Marvin Austin and defensive end Robert Quinn, among 10 others, were ruled ineligible, those hopes were dashed entirely. A defense that was expected to boast 9 returning starters was now the ACC's third best and the Heels became an afterthought in the NCAA. The identity of the team now comes from senior quarterback T.J. Yates, who passed for 3,184 yards with a 148.78 rating on the season. Yates will look to target 6'4 receiver Dwight Jones, a junior who averages 15 yards per catch and caught 4 scores, but should be wary of Tennessee defensive back Prentiss Waggner. Waggner has enough height at 6'2 to contend with Jones and had 5 interceptions this season.

Tennessee and North Carolina, natural border rivals, have not played against each other since 1961. Though the two teams have had disappointing seasons relative to their history and preseason expectations, the matchup and crowd should generate a fantastic atmosphere for a bowl game, with the winner being able to add a pleasant memory to a down year.