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Rahm Heads the Irish Open Field

Jon Rahm golf

Attention in the golf world is already beginning to switch to Europe ahead of the Open Championship in two weeks’ time and this weekend, some of the world’s top golfers will continue their warm-up for the Open challenge by taking in the Irish Open.

The course at Lahinch, County Clare, offers a genuine links golf test, complete with huge greens, and rolling terrain, and as ever with links golf, the weather will have a huge role to play. The current forecast promises bright conditions and relatively light winds, but fans and players alike will be keeping a close eye on the weather throughout the four days.

The tournament favourite, according to BetCris is Jon Rahm. His credentials appear to be excellent, having won this in 2017, setting a tournament record of 24 under in the process, and he warmed up for this challenge with a second placed finish in Valderrama last week; his ninth top ten of the season, and to prove his 2017 triumph wasn’t a fluke, he finished fourth in this event last year. BetCris rate him as a +780 chance and he is sure to have plenty of supporters this week.

English player Tommy Fleetwood is another leading contender, and he has some form in this event, having finished tenth in 2017. After securing a string of top tens earlier in the season, he appeared to lose his way a little, but a thirteenth place at the Travelers Championship was encouraging and has been enough to see him start this week as second favourite at +1417 with BetCris.

Links golf poses a unique test, and not every player is cut out for it, but those comments certainly don’t apply to Shane Lowry or Louis Oosthuizen. Lowry famously won this tournament as an amateur in 2009 and is in fine form at the moment, having secured three top tens and a creditably top thirty at the US Open, while Oosthuizen can’t claim quite the same level of form, but the former Open champion is a class act on links courses and is sure to be in contention this week.

Tyrrell Hatton also comes into that category, as a two-time Alfred Dunhill Links champion, and he has a fourth-placed Irish Open finish to his name, while Bernd Wiesberger, who has been making a strong comeback this season is another possible in an event where he finished second in 2015.

Among the other potential contenders is Matt Wallace, who has enjoyed a strong season so far in which he has finished third at the PGA Championship and the BMW International, as well as earning a runners-up spot at the British Masters, although he has yet to make the cut in this event, and Jordan Smith, who will also be hoping to transfer his good recent form to a links format.

Links golf always provides a spectacular visual spectacle and with many of the European Tour’s top names heading to Ireland this week, golf fans should be in for a treat.

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Amir Khan v Billy Dib – Showdown in Saudi Arabia

Amir Khan

British fighter Amir Khan will be hopping back into the ring later this month. He will be going up against Billy Dib for the vacant WBC International Welterweight title on July 12th. This bout is being hosted at the King Abdullah Sports City Stadium in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.

Saudi Arabia played host to the final of the World Boxing Super Series super middleweight section last year. This however, is a whole new level of fight. The fight will be broadcast by Channel 5.

This is a groundbreaking bout that Khan is going to be stepping into. He will be the first high-profile Muslim to fight in Jeddah. Khan was scheduled to go up against India’s Neeraj Goyat, but his opponent, the darling of Indian boxing, suffered some serious injuries in a recent car crash which means that he has had to pull out. Khan, who is from Pakistani heritage, was using the high-profile fight to promote unity between Pakistan and India.

The Terence Crawford Fall Out

Just back in April, Amir Khan was up against Terence Crawford. That was a headliner at Madison Square Garden in New York. It was a high profile, big purse fight for the WBO welterweight title. Khan though was never really in the fight though. The British fighter was looking a step slower and a bit sluggish. He struggled to make an impact.

Khan was outboxed pretty much from the get-go. He was sent to the canvas in the opening round. His corner threw in the towel in the sixth round of the fight after Khan had been left hurt by an accidental low blow to the groin. So the fight came to a disappointing conclusion. But with Crawford having been so far ahead on the scorecards halfway through the fight when it was halted, it all seemed to be heading to a comprehensive win for the American regardless of how.

A point to prove

Khan took a lot of stick from the American fighter and media pundits, because of how the fight ended. People started saying that he had simply given up and had run away from the challenge. So he is on a bit of a mission to turn out a good performance once again. He has suffered two losses in his last four fights now. Back in May 2016, Khan lost out in his big shot at the WBC middleweight title against Canelo Alvarez. Khan was stopped in the sixth.

So there is that too. His last two defeats have come in some big-time fights, so can he cut it anymore at the top of the game? Khan’s overall pro career record now stands at 33-5 and he is back in his preferred welterweight zone. Even though the leading bookmakers have Khan as the 1/14 odds-on favourite, there is going to be heavy scrutiny on the former Olympic Champion. His feet movement and hands were really slow against Crawford.

Billy “The Kid” Dib

Even though the fight against Goyat was being highly billed because of the heritages of the two respective fighters, Dib may be a more difficult opponent for Khan. The Australian has pretty much fought his career at four divisions beneath Khan, mostly at super-featherweight. He is a pretty seasoned fighter though with a 45-5 career record. So the 33-year-old knows his way around the ring. He used to train with Mike Tyson and was signed up by promoter Oscar De La Hoya.

Dibs, a bigger name in the sport than Goyat, is a former IBF Featherweight champion. When he lost it on his third title defence against Evgeny Gradovich a couple of years later, that was pretty much it for him in terms of titles. He did go up against Tevin Farmer for the vacant IBF super-featherweight title in August last year. But Dib lost that on a unanimous decision. So now this is a big step up through the divisions for him to take on such a prominent fighter. This will be, simply, the biggest fight of his career.

Summary

It’s never easy going up through the decision to punch above your weight. Ask Khan himself when he tried to do it against Canelo Alvarez. This is a whole new challenge for Dib on his return to the ring, his first meaningful fight since meeting Farmer. The last fight that “The Kid” had was a first-round knockout success against Fonluang Sor Singyu in April which served as no indicator whatsoever.

Dib isn’t a big hitter really and shouldn’t be a major threat to Khan, certainly not as a 10/1 underdog. But as far as the Khan camp is concerned, it’s not about much else here other than putting on a show. His status has been knocked back with those defeats against Alvarez and Crawford. The media has started to turn against him. He needs to send a message to the opponents at the top of the division and silence fickle critics for a while.

Check out more of the top action that is coming up over the weekend, by taking a look at Bobby’s Big Weekend bets.

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Gauff’s Stunning Success An Inspiration

Cori Coco Gauff

Wimbledon offers one of the most distinctive sporting spectacles on the planet. Two weeks of top-quality tennis played in the delightful surroundings of the All England Club in London, it is the only Grand Slam event played on grass, and combines history and tradition with the best of modern sport on a surface that provides for thrilling and dynamic tennis.

Big shocks and surprises are also part of the Wimbledon package and fans tuning in to watch this year’s tournament on the BBC have already been treated to one of the tennis world’s greatest ever upsets, as teenager Cori ‘Coco’ Gauff defeated the five-time Wimbledon Champion Venus Williams in straight sets on the opening day of the 2019 tournament.

At the astonishingly young age of 15 years and 122 days, Gauff was already the youngest player in the history of the Open era to make it to the main Wimbledon draw, and up against her idol, whose first Wimbledon victory came four years before Gauff was born, the newest rising star of American tennis showed incredible maturity not just to match Williams, but to stay calm on Court One.

Gauff began her tennis journey at seven, and by the age of thirteen, was making an impact. Last year she won the junior French Open shortly after her fourteenth birthday, and although her ranking was not high enough to qualify her for Wimbledon, she earned a wildcard and took full advantage, eventually winning her final qualifying round in straight sets, despite having sat a science exam the night before. And up against one of the legends of modern tennis, she made an immediate impact, breaking Williams’ serve to take a 3-2 lead in the opening set, and then holding her nerve and her serve to pull off one of the major underdog victories in Wimbledon history.

There is also a hugely symbolic quality to the victory. Venus Williams reached the US Open final at her first attempt at the age of eighteen in 1998, and her younger sister Serena won her first singles title at seventeen. The Williams sisters’ rise to the top of the sport was a story of talent, courage and determination, and has helped to pave the way for talented African-American tennis players to reach their full potential in the sport.

How far can Gauff go in this tournament? She will face less high profile but equally tough opponents as she moves through the rounds, and the physical and mental demands required may eventually take their toll on the teenager. But while progressing to the latter stages of this year’s Wimbledon might be beyond her, after her heroics on Monday, you can be sure that tennis punters will be scouring the best odds on Bigbetbookmakers.com to back Gauff for future glory.

BigBetBookmakers.com Showcases the World’s Best Tennis  Bets at  the BIGGEST BETS OF THE DAY and BIG LIVE BETS NOW Pages of This Website . 

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Can Haiti Upset the Odds?

Haiti Soccer

With the Women’s World Cup, Africa Cup of Nations and Copa America all running at the same time, the CONCACAF Gold Cup hasn’t grabbed the headlines in the football world, but there has been some exciting football played, and an tournament full of surprises has thrown up two potentially fascinating semi-final encounters, starting with Mexico versus Haiti on Tuesday.

Mexico, guided by the man who steered Atlanta to the MLS crown last season, Tata Martino, go into this game as the overwhelming favourites. According to BetCris, Los Tri are rated a -950 chance while Haiti can be backed at odds as big as +639.

That’s not too surprising, given their head to head record. Mexico have won five out of six games against Haiti since 1953, drawing one, and have an aggregate advantage in terms of goals of 22 to 2. They are also in excellent goal-scoring form, having scored twelve goals in three games in the Group phase, as they comfortably saw off Cuba, Canada and Martinique.

But Haiti, who are appearing in their first ever Gold Cup semi-final, should not be underestimated. They came through their Group with maximum points, beating Costa Rica, Bermuda and Nicaragua, and then produced arguably the performance of the tournament so far. Rated as big underdogs in their quarter-final against Canada, they trailed the favourites 2-0 at half-time, but turned that round with an exhilarating spell of attacking football to earn a famous 3-2 win.

Under Marc Collat, Haiti play a refreshingly bold brand of football, relying on pressing, pace and a willingness to shoot from anywhere to overwhelm opponents. While their high defensive line can sometimes leave them vulnerable, as they showed in the first half against Canada, their ability to score at any time makes them particularly dangerous.

And there is some cause for concern for Mexico fans. Their squad is dangerously short on top level experience, as they are without Javier Hernandez, Carlos Vela and Hector Herrera, as well as missing the cutting edge of rising star Hirving Lozano. Up against a stubborn Costa Rica side in their quarter-final, Mexico struggled to find a way through and in the end had to come through a nail-biting penalty shoot-out against opponents that Haiti had beaten 2-1.

Ten-time champions Mexico obviously have the better team on paper, but their inexperienced squad has yet to be seriously tested and with the weight of expectation on their shoulders, against opponents who have nothing to lose, it is not inconceivable that the favourites could start to feel the pressure. They could also be inconvenienced by the fact that manager Martino will be suspended from the touchline as a result of a second yellow card picked up during the sometimes-ill-tempered quarter final.

Either way, this promises to be a fascinating clash of styles between Mexico’s patient, possession-based game, and Haiti’s dashing endeavour, and who knows, we could yet one of the tournament’s most famous surprises.

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BOBBY’S BEST WEEKEND BETTING EVENTS – 6th-7th JULY

Sirius

Soccer – Swedish Allsvenskan – Sirius vs Ostersunds

We’re heading to the Allsvenskan once again for the first of our big betting events this weekend. This is the archetypal mid-table fixture, however it appears that the two sides are heading in different directions.

Sirius picked up a notable result at the weekend with a 1-0 away win at Norrkoping. Although most of the focus will be on the losing side, credit must go to the side who were only promoted to this level in 2016. They were superbly well organised, and although the hosts were wasteful at times, IK Sirius defended well for large periods of the game.

Sirius’ second half of the campaign was a significant concern last year, but they seem to have plateaued for now. They are a little inconsistent with a recent record of W-L-W-L-W. Home defeats to Hacken and Djurgarden are concerning, but both of those sides are above them in the table and playing well. This should be much easier.

The recent transfer window activities have skewed results slightly in the Swedish top flight, although IK Sirius have not been one of the busiest sides this summer.

It doesn’t seem like yesterday that Ostersunds were competing in the UEFA Europa League against Arsenal. Ian Burchnall’s side are currently sat tenth in the Allsvenskan, and they seem to be treading water at the moment. They aren’t going anywhere fast, and they are winless in five.

They come here off the back of successive home draws, with their 1-1 draw against Sundsvall a particularly damaging result. Ostersunds did keep a clean sheet at the weekend, which seems to be a step in the right direction, but they need to find their shooting boots once again. They’ve netted just 13 goals so far this season, with only four sides (including the bottom two) netting fewer so far this campaign.

This is a fascinating match-up, and it’ll be interesting to see if IK Sirius can build upon their superb away win last weekend. Ostersunds could struggle to keep them off the score-sheet here, and I can’t wait to see which way this swings.

Allsvenskan fans in the UK can catch the live action this weekend through online bookmaker streaming services. 

 

UFC – Light Heavyweight – Jon Jones vs Thiago Santos

It’s already been an exciting 2019 for UFC fans, and this is another potentially mouth-watering clash between Jon Jones and Thiago Santos. UFC 239 takes place at the T-Mobile Arena and this headline bout is the second of our big betting events taking place this weekend.

Although there has been plenty of talk between the pair ahead of this bout, it is notable that there is healthy respect between the duo. Thiago Santos listed Jones amongst his top fighters, with his opponent happily sitting alongside the likes of Anderson Silva and Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira.

However despite this, he described Jones as “not a good role model”. His presence inside the Octagon has certainly helped Jones become a household name although his antics elsewhere haven’t always impressed.

Following Jones’ story is fascinating as there is always an unexpected twist or turn. He has already seen off Alexander Gustafsson and Anthony Smith, and will be confident coming into this bout. However, the constant talk of Metabolite is hanging like a millstone around his neck, and it is consistently a talking point.

Santos claims that he sees “no weakness” in his opponent, and knows he will have to be at his absolute best here. He called him “well-rounded”, “intelligent” and “incredibly skilled”, and knows he’s in for a tough night.

Jones is unsurprisingly odds-on and a very short price ahead of this fight. It is going to take a significant effort from Santos to overturn Jones, and the money is against him here. He spoke of Jones’ tactics, alluding to his underhand tactics which often take place during the bout. The referee is unable to keep on top of them, and many an opponent has suffered because of these.

It would be a career dream for the Brazilian to topple Jones, and although it seems unlikely, I think he appears to be suitably motivated for this match-up. I don’t think it’ll be straightforward for Jones to hold onto his light heavyweight title, and Santos will be determined to bring the belt back to Rio.

It is a decent match-up, and it’ll be interesting to see whether Santos has got the measure of Jones and his perceived ‘tactics’.

This UFC bout can be viewed on BT Sport this weekend. Viewers in the UK can access all of this year’s match-ups across their network. 

 

Soccer – Russian Super Cup – Lokomotiv Moscow vs Zenit St Petersburg

As we’re edging closer to the return of competitive football, a number of leagues are beginning to get back underway. Russian football returns this weekend with the Super Cup taking place between Lokomotiv Moscow and Zenit St Petersburg, and it’s the third of our big betting events. 

Zenit have been training hard in Austria this week, and they have been taking part in a number of pre-season friendlies. Artem Dzyuba has returned to the camp, and is likely to play a significant role once again.

They ended the first half of the season on a high with a convincing 4-1 victory over Yenisey. Sebastian Druissi netted twice and Sardar Azmoun also finding the back of the net. Zenit made a slow-start to the campaign, but they found their groove eventually, and if in the same frame of mind – they could be hard to stop here.

Lokomotiv have not had much luck in the Russian Super Cup in recent years, and were defeated in last year’s event. They managed to hold CSKA to a goalless draw, but were defeated in extra-time. This is also a repeat of the 2015 Super Cup which saw Zenit win 4-2 on penalties.

Lokomotiv have not clinched this piece of silverware since 2005, and have lost each of their last four appearances in the Russian Super Cup. It has been a hard-luck story for Lokomotiv and they will be determined to finally get their hands back on the trophy.

They ended the season with back-to-back 1-0 wins in both the Russian Premier League and the Cup, and they’ve looked good in their recent friendlies as well.

It ended 1-1 when they met in April, and with both sides seemingly defending well going into the summer, this could be a slow-burner. However, it is a fascinating curtain raiser to the second half of the season, and I can’t wait to find out whether Lokomotiv can finally end their hoodoo in this competition.

Many online bookmakers will be streaming this game live for viewers in the UK

 

Aussie Rules – AFL – Adelaide Crows vs Port Adelaide Power

This fixture which is often known as the “showdown” is always one that I look out for on the fixture list. It is a clash between two very competitive sides in the south, and the Crows vs the Power is the fourth of our big betting events this weekend.

There’s not a huge amount between these two sides in the ladder with the teams sat sixth and ninth respectively. The Crows put up a superb fight, but came up short against the runaway leaders. Geelong won 96-69, leaving the Crows to lick their wounds in sixth. Their 8-6 record isn’t bad, and their top eight ambitions are still very much in tact.

The Power aren’t quite as conistent, and their recent record of L-W-L-W-L makes them incredibly hard to predict. After surprisingly toppling the Cats, they folded against the Western Bulldogs on a very soggy pitch. They are very capable on their day, but their young squad seems equally adept at displaying moments of inexperience.

The Crows have dominated the showdown in recent meetings, and they have won each of the last three. They’ve won eight of the last ten fixtures between this pair and they will be going off favourites once again here. However, the unpredictable Power could make it difficult for them.

Port Adelaide Power have become frustratingly unpredictable and unreliable, and coach Ken Hinckley has told his players that they must “grow up” and “toughen up”. They still hold play-off ambitions, and if they can repeat their outstanding performance against the Cats, then they are in with a chance of upsetting the odds here.

BT Sport are showing highlights of each AFL fixture this season for the benefit of UK viewers

 

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

 

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Big Sporting Events: British Champions Day

Horse

British Champions Day is a relatively new addition to the racing calendar, yet it has quickly established itself as an enjoyable fixture which is enjoyed by sports fans across the world. It provides a fitting finale to the British flat racing season, and showcases some of the best thoroughreds in the business. 

Taking place in mid-October, British Champions Day takes place at Ascot racecourse and helps bring the curtain down on another successful season on the turf in the UK.

It first took place in 2011, and has gone from strength-to-strength ever since. It is the richest race-day on the British racing calendar and prize money continues to climb with each running. Over £4million is available in the purse, and this will be split between the connections of the winning horses.

The authorities decided to introduce Champions Day as a way to truly celebrate the end of the flat season, and the beginning of the National Hunt campaign. It amalgamated some of the best races on the end-of-season Ascot and Newmarket cards, which had been a staple of mid-October for many years.

There are a number of finals taking place which are listed as each of the divisions of the British Champions Series. These include Diadem Stakes, Queen Elizabeth II Stakes, Champion Stakes and the Jockey Club Cup. The Diadem Stakes’ name was changed in 2012 to become the British Champions Sprint whilst the aforementioned Jockey Club Cup subsequently became the British Champions Long Distance Cup.

Four of the six races taking place on British Champions Day are Group 1 events with the Balmoral Handicap the only contest which hasn’t been awarded Group status.

A number of high-profile horses have featured at British Champions Day with Frankel arguably the most noteworthy. The iconic unbeaten colt was victorious during the inaugural event before returning twelve months later and winning the Champions Stakes.

Ascot racecourse is always a hugely popular venue, and over 30,000 spectators tend to descend upon the track to enjoy the conclusion to the flat season.

Many horses arrive at the track protecting unbeaten runs with Stradivarius the most recent example. The John Gosden-trained horse made it a perfect five out of five in 2018 in the QIPCO British Champions Long Distance Cup, and recently continued his winning streak in 2019.

Other horses who have made the headlines during British Champions Day include Minding, Roaring Lion, Seal of Approval, Cracksman and Gordon Lord Byron.

When and Where?

British Champions Day takes place at Ascot racecourse, which is one of the most iconic sporting venues in the country. It is typically held on the third Saturday of October (the 20th in 2018), although this can occasionally vary, depending on other events.

Why is it So Popular?

British Champions Day is hugely popular because it is the final chance for many racing aficianos to watch some of the standout performers of the summer before they are locked away for winter. All of the major yards send their representatives to the track for this special occasions producing a high quality field.

It provides the opportunity to see some of the best sprinters, middle-distance runners and stayers in action, all in one place.

It is one of the most popular betting events on the racing calendar, and turnover is always significant.

 

What Betting Opportunities Are Available?

Many betting opportunities are available with every single race being a high quality event. Bookmakers often price up the majority of the Group races months in advance, and some of these ante-post markets can be formed within the first few weeks of the flat season. However, the majority of firms will wait until the congested summer period has passed before forming any kind of market.

On the day itself, every single race will be priced up with additional markets for horses to place and match-bets. Accumulators are extremely popular across the card.

 

Key Betting Markets

To Win the Race – Each of the six races will be priced up by the bookmakers weeks in advance. The fields will change significantly between the the initial formation and the final declarations. Punters will be asked to pick which horse will finish first past the post, and single bets will only be paid out if it finishes ahead of the chasing pack. The majority of the races are hugely competitive affairs, and therefore the prices are often reflective of this. Some races will start at 4/1 the field whilst others may have an odds-on favourite, particularly if the horse is unbeaten to date.

Each Way Betting – With competitive action on the turf, more savvy punters may wish to explore each-way opportunities. This allows your selection to finish second or third, and you will be paid out at either 1/4 or 1/5 of the odds. Some of the races begin with 16+ runners which will result in fifth placed finishers also being paid out. Look out for the bookmakers offering extra-place markets or additional incentives to bet on big price outsiders.

Match Bet – These are a great way of betting without having to select the winner of each race. Match Bets will pitch together two of the competitors in the race, and punters will be asked which one of the pair will finish in the highest position. For example – Horse A to beat Horse B. Even if Horse A and B finish 14th and 15th, as long as they finish in that particular order, you will be paid out.

To Place / To Not Place – Whilst betting each-way will result in being paid out at 1/4 or 1/5 of the odds, there are additional markets which require punters to predict which horses will finish in the top four. Prices are a lot shorter than the outright win markets, but in competitive events, there is often still value to be found here. Additionally, some bookmakers will provide markets on horses not to finish in the top four. The market principles are usually best to oppose in this market.

Top Jockey / Top Trainer at British Champions Day – Additional markets are also available on jockeys and trainers performance. With six races on the card, there is plenty of opportunity for multiple successes on the card. Markets such as ‘Charlie Appleby to Train 2 or More Winners on the Card’ are widely available. Meanwhile, some jockeys will have rides in every single contest so the likes of ‘Oisin Murphy to Ride 2 or More Winners’ is another example of the kind of the market to expect.

Multi-Race Markets – Some bookmakers will have special enhanced odds which focus on multiple races on the card. For example – Horse A, Horse B and Horse C all to win their respective races. These usually involve the most high-profile horses on the card.

 

Bobbys Big Betting Tips for British Champions Day

The Going is Vitally Important – Ground conditions are always imperative in any races, however the weather conditions in mid-late October can be extremely variable. If you can help it, don’t place bets on any of the races months in advance as the ground could turn from good-to-soft to heavy by the time the event gets underway. Always check the weather conditions before wagering as cut in the ground can make the difference between a horse winning and labouring home in sixth position.

Look Out for Course Specialists – Ascot is a stiff galloping track, and there are very few undulations. It does tend to produce horses who win time and time again in Berkshire. Although it isn’t quite as horses-for-courses as Brighton or Epsom, it is quite unique, and can become particularly testing in wet conditions. Always look out for horses who have performed well here in the past, particularly those who have been victorious at similar distances.

Some Jockeys Have a High Success Rate in Specific Races – It’s not the most scientific approach, but it’s always advised to look for jockeys who have enjoyed success previous runnings of the race. For example, Ryan Moore has ridden the winner of the Fillies and Mares Stakes in both 2017 and 2018, and he has four times overall since 2008. Wayne Lordan and Paul Hanagan have won four of the last six runnings of the British Champions Sprint Stakes. This is something to bear in mind before placing any bets.

 

ITV will be broadcasting each of the six races from British Champions Day in mid-October

 

 

 

 

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Best Bets of the Day – Sunday, June 30th 2019

India

Spain U21 v Germany U21
Euro U21 Championships Final – 7.45 pm
Sky Sports

This is a repeat of the last edition’s Euro U21 Final back in 2017. It was Germany who came out on top with a 1-0 win on that occasion. It was an underdog success that they pulled off on the day. They have looked so strong in their title defence, posting a W3 D1 record on their way to this year’s final. The Germans have scored 14 goals in their four games played with Luca Waldschmidt netting seven of those. It has been thoroughly convincing from them. They perhaps do have a weakness at the back as they are without a clean sheet in seven games now. Four of the five goals that they have conceded at the tournament have been penalty kicks. Germany are 5/2 underdogs though for Sunday’s Final.

Spain are now in their fourth final in the last five editions. That’s immense form. They started this tournament with a 2-0 loss against Italy but have since stepped on the gas. A 5-0 win over Poland in their final group stage match saw them top their group on goal difference. They rattled off a 4-1 win over France in their semi-final after having shipped the first goal of the game. The response that Spain have come up with to their early adversity has been so impressive. The Spaniards are 19/20 odds-on with leading bookmakers to regain their title. Can they complete what will have been a remarkable comeback?

England v India
Cricket World Cup – 10.30 pm
Sky Sports

England are feeling the heat. The pre-tournament favourites and hosts of the World Cup have started to fall to pieces. Back to back defeats at the tournament against Sri Lanka and Australia have left them with a tough task to get to the semi-finals. Realistically they are going to have to come out and win their last two games, starting with this one. They are even money underdogs with leading bookmakers to win this clash. They will then take on New Zealand who may have already qualified for the top four by the time they meet for their final game.

This game is being played at Edgbaston, a slower pitch for spin bowlers, which is going to suit India far more than England. England have not been able to deal with slower wickets and Sri Lanka exposed that against them.  Then all-around, England just weren’t good enough in any department against Australia. India are the powerhouses of the tournament. They have won all of their completed matches and that includes a success over Australia (a convincing one at that). With the Aussies having just beaten England, it does point to strong favouritism for India and the bookmakers have them at 4/5 odds-on favourites. Given their form, they may make for one of the best bets of the day.

Uganda v Egypt
Africa Cup of Nations – 8.00 pm
Eurosport

This is going to be a battle for top spot in Group A of the Africa Cup of Nations. Egypt have banked back to back wins over Zimbabwe and DR Congo so far, low key wins really by a 1-0 and 2-0 scoreline respectively. So they haven’t exactly set the tournament alight as hosts. But they have done enough already to have qualified, it is just going to be a matter of locking down top spot. They only need a point in this one against Uganda to get that done. So they may take a chance to rest some players perhaps. It wouldn’t be a great disaster in terms of the round of sixteen draw, if they dropped to second. The top bookmakers have Egypt as the 3/4 favourites to win the match outright anyway. Egypt are now on a four-match winning streak.

Uganda are on a good six-match undefeated streak of form currently, but there have been four draws in that sequence. Looking back a little bit further at their form though they have lost just one of their last twelve games. So they are not an easy side to break down at all. They have taken a clean sheet in four of their last six. Just one of their last ten games have made it over 2.5 goals and the leading bookmakers have this one at 8/15 odds-on to go under the goal line. So far in the group, Uganda have beaten DR Congo 2-0 and have played out a 1-1 draw with Zimbabwe. A point secures them a top two finish. So they have a lot to play for in this one.

Keep in touch with the latest sporting action with live bets!