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BOBBY’S BEST WEEKEND BETTING EVENTS – 31st August-1st September

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Soccer – Premier League – Southampton vs Manchester United

Southampton have endured a tough start to the campaign, and have already been defeated by Liverpool. On Saturday, Ralph Hassenhutl’s men host Manchester United at St.Marys, and it’s the first of this weekend’s big betting events. 

The Saints have a win under their belt, beating Brighton 2-0 at the weekend, and they will be aiming to start climbing the table. Hassenhutl’s side work hard for one another, and they will play with real gusto. Although they were beaten by Liverpool, they gave Jurgen Klopp’s men plenty to think about in the closing stages. They almost snatched a point from the game, it’s highly likely that they will trouble Manchester United.

Moussa Djenpro netted his first goal for the club at the weekend, and he’ll be hoping to add a few more to his tally over the coming weeks. Kevin Danso was also making his debut in that game, and despite a shaky start, he won over the fans with a solid display.

January 2016 was the last time Southampton beat Manchester United, but on current evidence, they look well-positioned to end that barren run against the Red Devils.

Manchester United were defeated at the weekend with an unexpected loss to Crystal Palace. The Eagles always give the bigger sides plenty of problems, and Roy Hodgson’s men nicked a late winner to put the pressure on Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.

The Norwegian has picked up four points from a possible nine, and it isn’t the start that the club would have wanted. Although summer signing Harry Maguire has looked solid, United still probably don’t create enough at the other end of the pitch.

Solskjaer has asked for more from his side, but they looked devoid of ideas at times, and they were caught out very late in the contest.

Two of the last three meetings at St Marys have ended all-square, with United sneaking the other game by a single goal. It’s rarely easy for the visitors at this ground, and they are unlikely to head back to Manchester with a straightforward victory.

I can’t wait to see how United approach this. Southampton will make it tough for them, and won’t allow them much time on the ball. I fancy that that Saints could be overpriced as the outsiders in this one. They didn’t lose by much against Liverpool, and it’s to make a case for an away win.

Southampton vs Manchester United is live on BT Sport on Saturday lunchtime in the UK. 

 

Soccer – Serie A – Juventus vs Napoli

Another Serie A season gets underway, and unsurprisingly, it began with a 1-0 Juventus victory. The Old Lady are back in action this weekend, and they face a real test against Napoli. It is the second of our big betting events. 

Chiellini’s flick was enough to earn Juve all three points, and despite the fact that Maurizio Sarri wasn’t present, they still managed to hold on for all three points against Parma. Sarri won’t be in attendance for this game either, and his side will need to be more ruthless in front of goal if they are to beat the Partenopei.

Napoli were involved in the game of the weekend as they edged past Fiorentina at Stadio Artemi Franchi. The hosts took the lead as early as the ninth minute from the penalty spot, but Carlo Ancellotti’s men were soon back on terms. Dries Mertens, Lorenzo Insigne and Jose Callejon were all on the score-sheet as it was business as usual for Napoli.

These two sides are famailiar foes, and Juventus have tended to dominate the head-to-heads in recent years. They’ve won three of the last four meetings, and were 2-1 victors at Stadio San Paolo at the end of the last season.

Although conceding three goals is far from ideal for Napoli, they can feel a little aggrieved to have given away an early VAR-inspired penalty.

Cristiano Ronaldo had a goal chalked off in Juventus’ opening fixture, and he also missed a number of good chances throughout the 90 minutes. None of Juve’s new signings featured in the game on Saturday, and we could see some debuts in this match. Matthias De Ligt was left on the bench against Parma, whilst Adrien Rabiot did come onto the pitch in the second half.

This should be a very entertaining match, and it wouldn’t be a surprise to see VAR intervene once or twice. With Napoli expected to be the nearest challengers to Juventus’ title hopes, they could lay down an early marker in this Saturday evening contest.

Napoli have scored in each of their last four visits to this stadium, and it wouldn’t be a surprise to see them get on the score-sheet once more.

Expect this to be a frenetic end-to-end contest, and it should be one of the most entertaining games of the weekend. I can’t wait to see if Napoli can inflict an early-season defeat on their hosts.

Premier Sports in the UK will have full coverage of this Serie A contest. 

 

Basketball – FIBA Basketball World Cup – Canada vs Australia

The Basketball World Cup gets underway at the beginning of September, and there are a number of fascinating matches taking place throughout the month. Canada will face Australia in the opening fixture for each side, and it is the third of our big betting event. 

Australia come into this tournament having beaten holders USA at the Marvel Stadium. Although it means very little at this stage, it is a significant confidence-booster ahead of the competition getting underway. A 98-94 victory was a tremendous outcome, and their first success in over 55 years.

Australia may come across the USA once again during the latter stages, but they begin against another North American side – Canada.

Canada are expected to be strong once again, and they have a number of players returning from injury. It is perfect timing for them with Brady Heslip, Andrew Nembhard and Kaza Kajami-Keane all regaining fitness at just the right time.

They will also be facing team USA as part of their preparations for the tournament. They have a 4-2 record in warm-up games so far, and are looking very strong ahead of the competition getting underway.

With the Australian Boomers having beaten Team USA, they’ll be feeling very confident of getting something against Canada Basketball, although it could be a closely fought contest.

All of the games will be streamed live at livebasketball.tv throughout the tournament. 

 

Soccer – Bundesliga – Bayern Munich vs Mainz 05

Bayern made an inauspicious start to the new Bundesliga campaign with a 2-2 draw against Hertha Berlin. However, it was business as usual with a 3-0 victory against Schalke at the weekend. The third of their fixtures this season is the last of our big betting events as they take on Mainz at the Allianz Arena.

Although there are concerns about the defensive side of the game, Bayern have now scored five goals this season, with new signing Phillipe Coutinho barely featuring. The Brazilian came on in the second half against Schalke, and may be given a start in this clash.

All five goals so far have been netted by Robert Lewandowski, and the big Pole has looked very sharp during the early stages of the campaign. However, Nico Kovac will want his side to spread the goals around a little.

Mainz haven’t beaten Bayern since March 2016, and the champions have won each of the last four meetings between these two sides.

If Bayern are going to get into their stride, this could be the game in which to lay down their title credentials. It is the opportunity to win over those sceptical supporters with an all-conquering display.

The home side hit six past a beleagured Mainz here last season, and although it may not be as convincing this time around, they should be dominant from start to finish, and there are plenty of markets which are ideal for backing Bayern dominance.

Highlights of this game will be shown on BT Sport in the UK this weekend. 

 

See the LATEST ODDS now for the above FEATURED BETS at BOBBY’S WEEKEND BETS!

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Big Sporting Events: Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe

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The Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe is one of the best known horse races in Europe. It is a group 1 flat race which is held in France at the beginning of October each year. It is open to thoroughbreds three years old and above. 

It is typically held at Longchamp racecourse, which is located in Bois de Boulougne on the outskirts of Paris. It contains a famous hill which provides the thoroughbreds with a real challenge in the closing stages of the contest. In 2016 and 2017, the track underwent major renovations, and the race was moved to Chantilly whilst this was taking place. This is around 50km north of Paris.

It is the second most prestigious horse race in Europe, and it is commonly referred to as “The Arc” by racing fans. It is also currently listed as the world’s second most valuable race. The Everest, which is held in Australia is currently the richest race in the world.

The race was first inaugurated in 1920, and it is competed over a distance of 2,400 metres. It is currently sponsored by Qatar. It was named after the famous monument, which was the scene of the victory parade at the end of World War I.

The Arc stemmed from two previous races which were designed to showcase the best three year olds in Europe. The Grand Prix de Paris was the first of these contests, and still takes place each July. It was first held in 1963. The Prix du Conseil de Paris also preceded the Arc by 27 years, and is still held as part of the two-day meeting at the beginning of October.

The Arc was different from the aformentioned races due to each horse running with equal weights.

Comrade was the first winner of the race in 1920, collecting 150,000 francs in the process. It was the horses only win in the race, although there have been many thoroughbreds who have managed to double up in this prestigious race. Ksar was victorious in both 1921 and 1922, whilst Motrico won twice in 1930 and 1932. Other horses to have this honour include Treve, Corrida, and most recently, Enable.

The latter won twice under Frankie Dettori, who remains the most successful jockey in the contest. He’s triumphed on six occasions with his first win arriving in 1995 on board Lammtarra.

Andre Fabre is the most successful trainer in the race, and has been successful on seven different occasions. His last successful came on 2006 with Rail Link.

Motrico was the oldest winning horse aged seven years when easing to victory in 1932, whilst Found was the quickest winner in 2016, although this did take place at Chantilly.

Cadum was the first winner to be demoted in the race, after hampering Priori midway through the contest.

 

Why is it So Popular?

The Arc is very popular as it is a chance to see some of the finest thoroughbreds in Europe compete on the same stage. The meeting as a whole is extremely popular due to the high number of top-class events being held at the track.

Household names are involved in the Arc, with top trainers from around Europe (and occasionally further afield), sending their horses to Paris to compete in this event.

 

What Betting Opportunities are Available?

Loads! The Arc is one of the most popular horse racing events on the sporting calendar. Prices for the race are regularly priced up months in advance, and although the final declarations will not be made until a couple of days before the race, there are always plenty of options when it comes to placing an ante-post wager.

There are always additional specials markets which will get priced up days in advance, and some bookmakers even have odds on doubles and trebles across the meeting.

 

Key Betting Markets

Race Winner – Punters have the opportunity to bet on which horse will win the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe. This is the simplest market available, and your chosen horse must cross the line ahead of each of its competitors. There is always a highly competitive field, which usually results in decent odds on this market.

Each-Way – This market allows horse racing fans to bet on bigger-priced runners or perceived outsiders to finish in the top two/three/four places. This is ideal for horses which have a starting price of 6/1 or bigger. This will require 2 x bets – To Win and To Place. If it places, you will be paid out at either 1/4 or 1/5 of the odds (depending on the bookmaker). If your chosen each-way horse wins, you will be paid out on both bets.

To Place – Same as above, except that you will be paid out at full odds. The caveat to this is that the odds are significantly shorter. Your horse will only need to finish in the designated places in order to receive a pay-out, and it requires just a single bet.

Forecast – This allows punters to predict the first two horses home. A straight forecast will only pay out if the two competitors finish in the correct order whilst a reverse forecast will allow some degree of flexibility. This will pay-out as long as your chosen duo finish as the top two (in any order).

Tricast – Same as above, but with the first three horses home. Unless the odds are short, this could result in a significant pay-out.

Winning Nation – This is a new market which allows bettors to predict which country the winning horse will hail from. UK-based horses have traditionally done well in this event, although many French trainers have also been successful in recent years. Irish-based horses also tend to travel over in numbers.

Match Bet – This is a great way of betting on the race without having to predict the winner of the contest. Match Bets will pitch together two horses who have been closely matched in the market. It usually takes the form of ‘Horse A to beat Horse B’. In order to receive a pay-out, you would only need your chosen horse to finish ahead of its rival. Even if they finish ninth and tenth, as long as your selection is in front, it doesn’t matter!

Winning Distance – This bet allows punters to predict the winning distance in the race. The contest typically produces a relatively close finish, although it is possible that there could be a runaway winner. Examples include ‘Under a length’, ‘A nose’ or ‘Over a length’.

Trainer/Jockey X to have … number of winners at the Arc meeting – This is a bet which is popular with punters who are following all of the action from Longchamp. Top trainers will send multiple horses to Paris for the two-day event, and it is possible to predict how many winners each operation will have at the event.

 

Bobby’s Big Betting Tips for the Arc

The Going is Key – October can be an unpreditable month weather-wise. The climate in Paris is mixed, and therefore it usually pays dividends to keep an eye on the forecast. As a rule, the going is usually on the softer side, however periods of dry weather are not unheard of in Autumn, and therefore the ground can sometimes dry out. This can greatly affect the outcome of the contest.

Uphill Finish Will Truly Test Stamina – Ideally you should look for horses which have previously been tested by a stiff uphill finish. Yes, your horse may have lasted a mile and a half in previous outings, but if it’s been largely competing at flat tracks, it will be noticeable when it tries to tackle the undulations of the Paris track.

French-trained Horses are Going Through a Barren Spell – Although Treve gave the locals plenty to shout about a number of years ago, there haven’t been many homegrown winners of this contest in recent years. Until we see a resurgence in French breeding at this distance, it may be better to look elsewhere for now.

 

Where Can I Watch the Arc?

Since ITV obtained the rights for Racing in the UK, they have opted to show this race live. It is also available on Sky Sports Racing.

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BOBBY’S BEST WEEKEND BETTING EVENTS – 24th-25th August

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Soccer – Premier League – Liverpool vs Arsenal

The first of this weekend’s big betting events comes from the Premier League with an absolute cracker of a game at Anfield.

Liverpool looked a little tired last weekend, as they edged past Southampton at St.Marys. The Reds did look to be in control until Adrian’s blunder, with former player Danny Ings capitalising on the goalkeepers moment of madness. The Saints had a big chance towards the end, and could easily have taken a point from the game.

Jurgen Klopp will get the opportunity to work with his players during the week, and the German boss will be pleased to give his players some time to recover from their recent exertions.

Liverpool won this fixture 5-1 last season at Anfield, and they’ve now scored 12 goals in their last three home matches against Arsenal. The Gunners will not be looking forward to this fixture given their recent record on Merseyside, and their creaky defence may struggle to cope with the threat of Sadio Mane, Roberto Firmino and Mo Salah.

The Gunners are unbeaten so far, with two narrow victories over Newcastle and Burnley, but this is a huge step up in quality.

Unai Emery admitted that he would prefer ‘not to play Liverpool’ at this stage of the campaign, and that doesn’t bode well for this teatime fixture. His side have certainly looked good going forward with both Alexandre Lacazette and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang looking sharp, whilst Nicolas Pepe appears to have already won over the fans during his brief stint on the field.

Liverpool are priced up as the favourites for this tie, and whilst it is perfectly understandable from the bookmakers, it is unlikely to be a clear cut as last time these two teams met.

Whilst the spotlight tends to focus on Arsenal’s shaky back-line, Liverpool have looked far from assured at the back. They conceded a second half goal to Norwich, but allowed the Canaries to produce several good chances throughout that contest. The Reds were pretty much foot-perfect at the back last year, but they have looked far from convincing, and Arsenal’s front-line could enjoy a fruitful afternoon at Anfield.

This should be a brilliantly entertaining game between two sides who love to play on the front foot. We always expect goals when these two sides play, as neither of them are very good at keeping clean sheets. Unai Emery will be aiming to mastermind Arsenal’s first victory at this ground since September 2012, and they’ll looking to capitalise on Liverpool’s hectic schedule.

Sky Sports Main Event will have full coverage of this game on Saturday evening in the UK. 

 

Soccer – Serie A – Fiorentina vs Napoli

The majority of the major European leagues are now back underway, with Serie A amongst the last to kick off. The Italian top flight returns this weekend, and there’s a cracking opening day fixture between Fiorentina and Napoli. It is a fascinating match-up, and its the second of our big betting events. 

Fiorentina looked laboured during their Coppa Italia victory over Monza last weekend. They did have plenty of the ball, but failed to create too much clearcut chances outside of the goals. Vicenzo Montella said he was happy with the application and attitude of his players, but he hasn’t ruled out another splurge before the transfer window closes.

The Viola ended last season in terrible form, and finished the campaign just three points off the dropzone. Their last win came on February 17th over SPAL, and they failed to find the net in any of their last five matches.

They’ve made some interesting additions this summer with Erick Pulgar arriving off the back of a decent season at Bologna. Aleksa Terzic is a bit of an unknown at left-back, but could prove to be a savvy signing, whilst Milan Badelj’s loan spell from Lazio could become a fruitful one. The nomadic Kevin Price Boateng was a bit of a left-field signing, and Fiorentina fans will be hoping that Montella is the man to get the best out of the striker. The squad also features several younger players who have impressed on loan over the last twelve months.

Napoli are reportedly moving closer to signing Mauro Icardi, but any deal for the fiery Argentine would likely be concluded after this game. Kostas Manolas should help them at the back, whilst Giovanni Di Lorenzo has arrived from Empoli. There have been very few chances at the other end of the field, although the Partenopei will surely be keeping their eye on the transfer market over the next few weeks.

Carlo Ancelotti’s side haven’t won at this ground since 2014, and they will be hoping to catch Fiorentina by surprise on the opening day of the campaign. They have a number of talented players, and they will be well drilled under the former Chelsea boss. Napoli have been the nearest challengers to Juventus in recent seasons, but they need to improve their consistency if they are to challenge the Scudetto winners.

This is a fascinating opening day fixture, and Fiorentina desperately need to give their fans something to cheer here.

Premier Sports has the rights to Serie A in the UK, and will be showing up to six live games per weekend. 

 

Soccer – Premier League – Wolves vs Burnley

The third of my big betting events this weekend comes from Molineux, and it’s an intriguing tie between Wolves and Burnley. The hosts are coming off the back of a very tough game in Turin on Thursday night, and it remains to be seen whether they have enough energy in reserve for this tough-looking Premier League contest.

Opponents Burnley know all about juggling European commitments and domestic requirements. Sean Dyche’s men struggled last season, and made a very sluggish start to the campaign as a result of their European exploits. They will be looking to take advantage of their opponents, who will have played Thurs-Mon-Thurs-Sunday.

Nuno likes to make a handful of changes for the European games, but he isn’t a manager who is likely to alter his entire starting XI, and that could cause problems further down the line. The likes of Adama Traore and Morgan Gibbs-White both featured in the second leg against Pyunik, and they could both get more game time this weekend.

Burnley are still incredibly tough to beat, and the Clarets gave Arsenal a very good game at the Emirates last weekend. They swept aside Southampton in their opening game of the season, and will pose a real danger to a potentially tired Wolves side.

Wolves’ back-line will have to keep their eye on Ashley Barnes, who has made a brilliant start to the 19-20 season. He’s netted three times so far, and will be a constant nuisance throughout the 90 minutes.

Wolves were very strong at home, and they may get through this tie, but at some point, their European exploits are going to catch up with them. Burnley could easily get something from this tie, and they have been potentially a little underrated by the market.

BBC 1’s Match of the Day 2 will be showing highlights of this game in the UK on Sunday night.

 

Aussie Rules – AFL – Geelong Cats vs Carlton

It’s second vs sixteenth on Saturday as the Geelong Cats look to get back on track when they face Carlton in the AFL. It is the fourth of my big betting events this weekend.

Despite leading the way for the majority of the season, the Cats find themselves sitting second, having suffered a mini-wobble. They were defeated by the imperious Brisbane Lions at the weekend, with their opponents opening up a healthy looking lead at the top of the ladder.

That was their third defeat in five after slipping up against the Dockers and the Hawks. Although their place in the end-of-season play-offs is assured, they aren’t performing like Grand Final winners, and they need to start picking up the pace.

On paper, this looks like a winnable fixture with lowly Carlton having very little to play for. They’ve lost their last two visits here, but they have been victorious in three of their last five matches. They come off the back of a 78-68 victory over St.kilda, and they’ve beaten the Swans on the road.

They do have a terrible record against the Cats, and they won’t be expected to improve upon that statistic on Saturday. Geelong were devastated to miss out by such a small margin last weekend, and they’ll be determined to bounce back. Even with a few injuries, they should have a talented enough squad to get through this game unscathed.

Even though the margin of defeat was slender, Patrick Dangerfield insists that his side will not take an solace from that loss, and they will be doing everything within their power to bounce back immediately. He finished the match with 36 disposals, and they’ll be looking to him for another sensational performance.

Although they were defeated last weekend, it doesn’t look like the Cats have taken their foot off the gas just yet, and they should be able to make amends for that thrilling loss when they take on Carlton.

BT Sport has coverage and highlights of the AFL in the UK this year

See the LATEST ODDS now for the above FEATURED BETS at BOBBY’S WEEKEND BETS!

 

 

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Big Sporting Events: PGA Championship

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The US PGA Championship is one of four major golf majors which are held on an annual basis. It is staged a numerous locations around the USA, and was first established in 1916. It is a hugely popular betting event amongst golf fans. 

This world-famous golf tournament has recently moved from mid-August to May. It was formerly played on the weekend prior to Labor Day, and was the last of the four majors on the calendar. However, from 2019 onwards, the US PGA will be competed in mid-May prior to Memorial Day. As a result, it is now the second major of the year. This has divided opinion amongst golf fanatics. The cooler climate was cited as one of the major reasons for this change. It is also widely rumoured that the PGA were concerned that the tournament was competing with too many other sporting events in August.

The tournament was moved to July in 2016 to accomodate the Olympics, whilst in 1971, it was held in late- February as a one-off.

It is one of the richest events on the golfing calendar with $11 million on prize money available. The first winner of the event in 1916 pocketed just $500, although he did receive a diamond-studded gold medal to mark his success. The winning player will be awarded the Wanamaker Trophy, and they will get to keep a replica of this for twelve months (a smaller size). It is named after Rod Wanamaker, who was one of the key men in getting the tournament off the ground in New York.

Although the location of the USPGA will vary, it is generally held in the eastern half of the USA. At the time of writing (Aug 2019), it’s been 21 years since the tournament was held in the west. It was also held in California back in 1995. In 2020, the tournament will head west, and will be played in the Bay Area of California for the first time. Other future locations for the US PGA include Bedminster, New Jersey and Louisville in Kentucky. The locations for the major are decided years in advance with the PGA Frisco in Texas having already been selected for 2027.

Ohio, New York and Pennsylvania have been the most popular locations to stage this tournament. The Southern Hills Country Club has held the event on four occasions, with the last being in 2007.

After a number of format changes over the years, the tournament organisers decided that the USPGA should become a standard 72-hole format, staged across four days. This was introduced in 1958, and it has stayed this way ever since. Like all golf majors, it is held Thursday-Sunday.

The US PGA is the only major which does not explicitly invite leading amateur competitors to play in the tournament. It reserves a large number of places for club professionals. The winners of the five US Opens and Masters will be automatically invited to compete, whilst the lowest 20 scorers in last year’s tournament will also be granted entry. Any members of the US Ryder Cup team will also be allowed to play in this tournament alongside the last three winners of the Players Championship.

The total number of players to begin the tournament will be 156. A list of reserves will also be drawn up in the event of any late withdrawals or injuries.

Jim Barnes was the first winner of the tournament back in 1916, and he was also successful when the US PGA returned after the conclusion of World War I. Jim Ferrier was the first Australian player to be successful in 1947, he was also the first non-US player to triumph. Four years later, Sam Snead became the first player to secure three US PGA titles in 1951.

Dow Finsterwald was the first player to be victorious following the format change in 1958, he ended on -4 at Llanerch Country Club in Pennsylvania. The first play-off took place three years later with Jerry Barber coming out on top. Jack Nicklaus’ first success in the US PGA arrived in 1963. He was also victorious in 1971, 1973, 1975 and 1980. He remains the most decorated player in this tournament, and he has also finished as a runner-up on four occasions.

The tournament has never been won by an English player, although Northern Ireland’s Rory McIlroy was successful here in 2012 and 2014. Padraig Harrington, representing the Republic of Ireland was victorious in 2008. Martin Kaymer became the first German to succeed in the US PGA in 2010. Brooks Koepka is the current champion, and he will be aiming for his fourth success in 2020. He beat Dustin Johnson by two strokes earlier this year. The American boasts the lowest absolute 72-hole score with a total of 264 back in 2018.

 

Why is it so Popular?

The US PGA is one of the four majors on the calendar and provides both dedicated and fair-weather golf fans with the opportunity to see the best golfers in the world compete on the same course.

With the tournament changing location each, it is a good chance to see which golfers will cope with the various undulations and difficulties that each course can potentially throw up.

 

What Betting Opportunities Are Available?

Loads! The bookmakers will price up numerous markets several months in advance, and there are lots of special offers, extra places and additional betting options during the run-up to the event. Many bookies will also introduce live in-play betting once the tournament gets underway, and this is a great way of following the event.

 

Key Betting Markets

Tournament/Championship Winner – This is the simplest betting market available, and it gives punters the chance to predict which player will be successful at the tournament. This player must finish clear of the rest of the field in order to receive a pay-out.

Race Winning Margin – This is another popular market in which players can predict the proximity of the finish. In this market, punters can decide whether they believe it will go to a play-off, or whether the winner will prevail by 1 shot, 2 shots or more.

To Make the Cut / To Not Make the Cut – This market will ask players to predict which players will have a successful first two days, and avoid an early exit. Most of the top 70 players will make it through, although there is always some value in backing a well-fancied player to make an unceremonious exit at this stage.

Winning Nationality – Although this tournament tends to be dominated by players from the US, it is possible to predict the nationality of the player who comes out on top.

Top 10/Top 20 Finish – A fairly simple market to get your head around. It is possible to back a player to finish in the top 10 positions, or perhaps even sneak a top 20 finish. This is a particularly handy for backing unfancied players who are going through a purple patch.

Top European Player – This market allows punters to predict which European player will be ranked the highest. Your selected competitor doesn’t neccessarily need to win the tournament, but they must finish above all other European entrants.

Top Australian Player – Same as above, but with Australian players. This tends to be a smaller field, and the odds will reflect this.

Match Bet – Match bets are an excellent way of betting on the tournament without committing to the winner. Punters must decide which of two selected players will achieve the higher finish. The bookmakers will decide which two players will be paired together.

2/3-Balls – These are often good live in-play markets which will be available with the majority of bookmakers. This allows punters to try and predict which player will achieve the lowest score across this particular set of 18-holes.

 

Bobby’s Big Betting Tips for the US PGA

Sometimes It’s Best to Focus on Other Markets – Although it is tempting to try and find the winner of the US PGA, it is sometimes advised to have a look at the alternative markets. Backing a player for a top five or top ten finish is a much safer way of betting, and although you’ll be kicking yourself if they prevail, you’ll never be left sweating about the prospect of them suddenly losing confidence on the final day. Top nationality markets are another good way of approaching the tournament. The bookies have so many markets available pre-tournament, it can sometimes pay to spend an extra few minutes assessing your options.

Always Check the Weather Forecast – Although the tournament has been moved earlier in the calendar to enable cooler conditions, the weather can still be fairly unpredictable at times. This can often affect certain players more than others. Locally-based players tend to take this in their stride, whilst European players will often take a few hours to acclimatise. This should be considered before placing any wager.

Long Hitters Have a Good Record in This Event – Every course in different, and the first trip to the Bay Area in 2020 will throw up some question markets over this piece of advice, however long-hitters do seem to possess a terrific record in the event. Rory McIlroy, Martin Kaymer and Brooks Koepka all fall into this category. Jason Duffner was successful in 2013 when the course was tighter, and required a more orderly approach, however generally speaking, those who can get the distance tend to do well in this major.

 

Where Can I Watch the US PGA?

Sky Sports will have full coverage of the US PGA in the UK throughout the four days.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Best bets of the day – Sunday, August 18th, 2019

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Chelsea v Leicester
Premier League – 4.30 pm
Sky Sports

It is hard to know what new Chelsea boss Frank Lampard will have taken away from their opening 4-0 defeat at Old Trafford against Manchester United. The Blues were the ones controlling more of the game in the first half of the contest and were a little unfortunate not have taken the lead. But then it was just a second-half collapse which they suffered. A very poor-looking Chelsea defence kept getting caught out on the counter-attack.

What next in the top flight for the Blues? Does Lampard stick to his plans of implementing his open style of play? Does he try and be a little more conservative in the face of harsh reality? Regardless of what he does on the day, Chelsea are 3/4 favourites with big bookmakers to win this one against Leicester. Chelsea lost their corresponding fixture last season 1-0 against the Foxes, going winless in two EPL fixtures at the Bridge against them.

Leicester played out a 0-0 draw against Wolves on the opening weekend the new season. It wasn’t a great game at the King Power. All the talk of the exciting Leicester never really materialized at home in that one. It could have been a different story too if Wolves hadn’t have had a goal wiped out by VAR. On paper, Leicester do look as if they can challenge in this one and given what happened to Chelsea last weekend, the 10/3 odds on a Leicester away win may well be taken on by punters as one of the best bets of the day.

Reading v Cardiff
Championship – 12.00 noon
Sky Sports

There should be an intriguing game from the Madejski Stadium on Sunday. The Royals haven’t gotten themselves going yet this season, suffering back-to-back defeats against Sheffield Wednesday and Hull to start with. They will be highly concerned by the fact that they have given up five goals across the two games. That is not an ideal start by any stretch of the imagination.

Last season Reading finished just two places clear of the drop zone in the table, so won’t want to get sucked down into long early struggles this season. Can they get their first win on the board? Would they be happy with at least avoiding defeat? Well, the leading bookmakers have Reading as the 11/4 underdogs for this one on home soil.

It is Cardiff who are coming for a visit. The Bluebirds were relegated from the Premier League last season and they didn’t get off to a flying start in this season’s Championship, losing against Wigan in their opener. But they got three points last week in their first home game, a 2-1 success over Luton. The Welsh club have had their defensive problems too. That’s four goals in two games that the Bluebirds have given up. They are 11/10 to deliver the away win.

Sheffield United v Crystal Palace
Premier League – 2.00 pm
Sky Sports

Sheffield United will have been delighted with their work on the opening weekend of the Premier League season. The newly-promoted Blades collected a point in a 1-1 draw out at Bournemouth. Now they have their first home game of the season to come and no doubt Bramall Lane is going to be rocking in this one. They are one of the favourites to get relegated this season, but there is something about Chris Wilder’s Sheffield United at home.

We saw last season in the Championship how they made the Lane an intimidating place for visitors. The Blades are 6/4 favourites to win on Sunday. The big bookmakers are not quite seeing enough in Palace to drag them into favouritism against a newly promoted side. The Eagles are at 2/1. They also got themselves a point on the opening weekend of the season, playing out a 0-0 draw with Everton.

Even though they have managed to keep a hold of Wilfried Zaha, there wasn’t much of an attacking show put on by the Eagles at Selhurst Park. Is that a sign of more struggles to come for them this season? As a positive, they did win more away games than home fixtures last season in the top flight and Roy Hodgson will have been happy with his first clean sheet of the campaign.

Anytime that you want to catch up with the big sporting action, then just take a glance at the latest live bets!

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Best bets of the day – Saturday, August 17th, 2019

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Arsenal v Burnley
Premier League – 12.30 pm
BT Sport

The Premier League action on Saturday starts at the Emirates. Arsenal picked up a win on the opening weekend of the new top-flight season, a narrow 1-0 success at Newcastle. It wasn’t the greatest of performances, but it was a welcome three points away from home and something to build on. Naturally, they will expect to be just that little bit sharper back on home soil.

The top bookmakers have the Gunners as short as 11/10 odds to win to nil in this fixture.  Will punters see that as one of the best bets of the day though, considering how badly criticized the defence of Arsenal has been over the last twelve months? Or will they be trusted to get back to back clean sheets? Arsenal are taking on a Burnley side who also won their opening game of the new campaign.

The Clarets came bolting out of the gates at Turf Moor, pasting Southampton 3-0. North London hasn’t been a happy hunting ground for the Clarets who have lost each of their five previous EPL away games at Arsenal. Home and away Burnley are on a nine-match losing streak against the Gunners in league meetings. They are 17/2 with top bookmakers to pull off an upset.

Sunderland v Portsmouth
League One – 12.30 pm
Sky Sports

The Mackems couldn’t haul themselves out of League One last season and so are having to start a promotion push all over again. It hasn’t been the most convincing of starts from them though as Sunderland have only drawn their two league games this season. Both of them were 1-1 scorelines against Oxford and Ipswich. Will they be able to turn up the heat a little bit back at the Stadium of Light on Saturday lunchtime as they welcome Portsmouth?

Portsmouth, like Sunderland, fell in the League One playoffs last season. But they have already had a taste of success this season. They opened with an away loss out at Shrewsbury, but then comfortably beat Tranmere last weekend in what was their first home game of the new campaign. Two of the last three between Sunderland and Pompey up in the northeast have ended in a 1-1 draw which is a 5/1 correct score option. Considering the way things have gone for Sunderland early this season, that may not sound like an unreasonable outcome.

Manchester City v Tottenham
Premier League – 5.30 pm
Sky Sports

It is a Saturday evening kick-off from the Etihad Stadium to look forward to. EPL reigning champions Man City made a pretty big statement last weekend. After seeing title-rivals Liverpool open their new account with a 4-1 home win over the newly-promoted Norwich, was it any surprise that the Citizens went out and did even better? Pep Guardiola’s men posted a 5-0 thumping success over West Ham. Away from home.

They will get their first taste of Premier League home action this season and this is a cracker. The Citizens step out against Tottenham, the team who are, once again, expected to push City and Liverpool the hardest in the title race. City have won their last three home games against the Lilywhites and are unbeaten in four on home soil against them in all competitions. Last season Man City took back to back 1-0 league wins over Spurs and big bookmakers have them at 1/3 to win outright on the weekend.

But Spurs did have their success over Man City last season. That was in that epic Champions League tussle, with Spurs winning on away goals in the quarterfinals after a 4-4 aggregate tie. Spurs are on a four-match losing streak in the Premier League against them though. But new summer signing Tanguy Ndombele looks a great addition and main-man Harry Kane netted a brace in a 3-1 come-from-behind win against Aston Villa last weekend. Spurs are 7/1 for the win in the match outright.

Wales v England
Rugby International – 2.15 pm
Channel 4

England head coach Eddie Jones named his World Cup squad earlier this week, a good four weeks before the start of the tournament. So he knows exactly what he is working with or at least, barring injuries, what he wants to work with. Will that offer the English the stability that they need as they head off to Japan in early September? Last weekend they took a convincing home win over Wales at Twickenham and Jones did some experimenting with his line up.

Had Wales won that game, they would have moved to the top of the World Rankings above New Zealand. Despite sending out a strong starting fifteen, they found England in a bullish mood. But things could be different back on home soil where Wales are 21/20 to win in their backyard. Earlier this season in the Six Nations meeting in Cardiff the Welsh collected a win over England. At the end of the day, this is friendly, but the Welsh pride may have been wounded a little bit last week. Can they get some revenge over England who are 5/6 favourites?

Curious as to who we recommend as the best bookmakers for betting big? Well, ponder no more!

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Best bets of the day – Friday, August 16th, 2019

Australia Rugby

Huddersfield v Fulham
Championship – 7.45 pm
Sky Sports

It was only earlier this year that Huddersfield and Fulham were squaring up against each other in the Premier League. But neither could survive the drop from the top flight at the end of last season so here they are. In the immensely competitive Championship. Looking to figure out a way to get back out.

Huddersfield will be hoping this game at the John Smith’s Stadium will bring them their first league success of the season. The leading bookies have them at 17/10 to do just that. It has been one point from two games so far from them back in the Championship. After losing at home to Derby on the opening weekend, they grabbed their first point in a draw at QPR in their second fixture. Last season Huddersfield won just three games in the top flight.

One of them was at home against Fulham. The reason that the Cottagers were sunk last season was that they had no defensive control whatsoever. To their credit, they have held together a pretty decent squad and they are expected to be one of the main contenders to earn promotion. They picked up a 2-0 home win over Blackburn last weekend, shaking off an opening weekend defeat against Barnsley. Fulham are 6/4 with top bookmakers for the away win.

Bayern Munich v Hertha Berlin
Bundesliga – 7.30 pm
BT Sport

Bayern Munich begin their Bundesliga title defence on Friday night with a home game against Hertha Berlin. Big bookmakers have Bayern as overwhelming favourites to get the victory at the Allianz. To highlight that, a Bayern Munich/Bayern Munich half time/full-time bet is at 4/7 odds-on. That’s how dominant they are expected to be and that’s likely to draw a lot of punters as one of the best bets of the day.

In last season’s top-flight Bayern posted a W13 D3 L1 record on home soil, with Borussia Moenchengladbach the only visiting team to the Allianz to win there. As usual, Bayern were prolific in front of goal, averaging almost three goals per home fixture. With a star-studded attack including Robert Lewandowski and Thomas Muller, more of the same is fully expected.

Hertha Berlin, who are 12/1 outright underdogs with top bookmakers, can’t be looking forward to this game. They have failed to score in their last five away games against Bayern Munich. So are they to be written off completely? Well maybe not. They did get a league home win over Bayern last season and have lost just one of their last five league fixtures against the Bavarian giants (W1 D4).

New Zealand v Australia
Bledisloe Cup Rugby – 8.45 am (Saturday)
Sky Sports

Ready for some early morning heavyweight international rugby? Of course. There is a big of extra spice in this clash between the All Blacks and Australia. For the first time since the Rugby Championship came into being, New Zealand finished third in the table (of four teams). They have been the dominant force and they are the reigning World champions.

But it hasn’t been a great 2019 from them though. They were challenged hard in their opening Rugby Championship game in Argentina. The Kiwis failed to score in the second half of that Buenos Aires battle but held on for the win. Back on home soil, they were then thwarted at the death by South Africa who took a draw in Auckland. Then came their old rivals Australia.

New Zealand were still favourites to win the first of their two meetings in this year’s Bledisloe Cup against the Wallabies. However, they went in trailing at the halftime break and had Scott Barrett sent off (just the fourth All Black ever to see red) before the interval. That opened the game up for Australia who posted a record points tally against New Zealand in a 47-26 success. It also equalled the biggest margin of defeat ever suffered by New Zealand in a test match.

Still, despite all that, the leading bookmarks have a New Zealand -14 handicap at 10/11 for the weekend. The Kiwis are after all at Eden Park. New Zealand don’t lose to Australia at Eden Park. Do they? Well, not in the last decade at least. The Australians haven’t been great at all, and the 2018 calendar year was one of their worst on record for results. Will they feel an All Black backlash or can they pull off a stunning double over their rivals? The Wallabies are 9/2 in the match outright.

With more insights on some of the top action coming up, read Bobby’s Big Weekend Bets.