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Netherlands are Dark Horses for Nations League Crown

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The UEFA Nations League has provoked an array of reactions, from hostility to bewilderment to praise, but for the four teams who will head to Portugal in early June, it has added a degree of excitement to what would otherwise be a blank summer, and the chance to earn silverware.

England fans tuning in to watch SKY’s coverage of the first ever Nations League play-offs, will be hoping that Gareth Southgate’s team can build on their success at the 2018 World Cup, and their impressive Nations League Group Stage performance in which they beat Spain and Croatia to top spot in the section, to set up their semi-final clash with the Netherlands.

But while England will be the favourites with most bookmakers to win that game, the Netherlands are extremely dangerous opponents, who look ideal contenders to cause an upset.

The proud tradition of football in that small European nation is well-known. From the Total Football era of the 1970s, to the thrills provided by the Ruud Gullit – Marco van Basten generation to the 1990s and 2000s sides featuring the likes of Dennis Bergkamp, Robin van Persie and Arjen Robben, the Netherlands has produced some of the world’s greatest players and teams.

They have been at a low ebb in recent years. After veteran coach Louis van Gaal took them to third place at the 2014 World Cup, Guus Hiddink, Danny Blind and Dick Advocaat all had spells in charge, but the Netherlands missed out on Euro 2016 and on the 2018 World Cup.

But the arrival of Dutch legend Ronald Koeman as manager has seen a reversal of their fortunes. Drawn in the toughest of Nations League groups, alongside Germany and World Cup winners France, the Netherlands lost their opening game in Paris, but then beat both their rivals at home, before securing an entertaining 2-2 draw in Gelsenkirchen to top the Group.

At the same time, Dutch domestic football has also been on the rise. Ajax, the club that for so long was associated with the best qualities of Dutch football, made it all the way to the semi-finals of the Champions League and came within seconds of reaching the final, inspired by young stars Frenkie De Jong, Matthijs de Ligt, Hakim Ziyech and others. Those players may soon be on their way to other clubs this summer but that talent will still be available to Koeman.

And that blossoming young talent is backed up by the solidity and leadership of Liverpool central defender Virgil van Dijk, and fellow Reds star Gin Wijnaldum, along with midfielder Kevin Strootman, who may yet end up in the Premier League next season.

The future is bright for the Netherlands international team, but as their performances against Germany and France have shown, they are also capable of competing with the best right now and England fans checking out the BigBetBookmakers site will be vary of backing their team at short odds against the dangerous Dutch this summer.

The Hottest Soccer Odds are always Featured at the BIGGEST BETS OF THE DAY & BIG LIVE BETS NOW sections of BigBetBookmakers.com .

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Big Sporting Events: St Leger

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The St.Leger is one of the standout events on the British Horse Racing calendar, and is regarded as the World’s Oldest Classic. It concludes a prestigious week of racing, and is often regarded as the race which unofficially marks the end of the summer flat racing season.

It is also the only classic to be held in Yorkshire, with Doncaster Racecourse hosting the Group 1 event. The race is competed over 1 mile 6 furlings and 115 yards, and tends to be held on the second week of September. As well as being the oldest classic in the UK (inaugurated 1776), it’s also the longest, and provides a real test of stamina for the horses involved. However, the race has been shortened over the years, as it originally was held over two miles.

The race has always been held at Doncaster racecourse, except when it was transferred to Newmarket during World War I, briefly changing its name to the September Stakes in the process. During World War II, it was held at a number of different racecourses including Thirsk, York and Manchester. It did not take place in 1939. In 1989, Ayr staged the St.Leger, and it was won by Henry Cecil’s Michelozzo.

The race is open to three-year olds, and tends to attract a significant-sized field. All competitors will carry a weight of 9st 1lb, with fillies getting a 3lb allowance.

The race is the third and final leg of the triple crown, which begins with the 2000 Guineas in early-May. Western Australia was the first horse to complete the triple crown back in 1853.

John Scott remains the most successful trainer in the race, with 16 victories in the contest between 1827 and 1862. He was responsible for the aforementioned Western Australia.

Masked Marvel, who was victorious in 2011 and trained by John Gosden has recorded the quickest-ever time in the race, completing the 1 mile 6furlongs in 3 minutes and 00.44 seconds. Whereas Never Say Die’s victory in 1954 was amongst the most convincing with the American-bred chesnut winning the race by twelve lengths.

As of 2019, Aidan O’Brien has won three of the last six stagings of the race. His most recent winner was Kew Gardens in September 2018. John Gosden saddled winners in 2007, 2010 and 2011, but hasn’t managed to repeat the trick in the last eight years.

When and Where?

The St.Leger is held at Doncaster Racecourse, which is a left-handed track located in South Yorkshire. It is the only classic to be staged in the county. Typically, the race will be held on the second week of September, although this can vary depending on the sporting calendar.

Why is the St.Leger so Popular?

The St.Leger is incredibly popular as it is the final opportunity for flat racing fans to enjoy one of the classics. It’s place on the calendar also adds to the appeal. Many of the big events are held in May, June and July, and there is often a gap between these and the St.Leger getting underway in September. This allows time for ample build up to the event, and whets the appetite of punters.

The race is a real test of stamina, and it’s always an interesting watch to see which competitors are able to last the distance on Town Moor.

Lastly, it also attracts a high-quality field, and the best three-year olds in the country will often compete in this event. The St.Leger is always hugely competitive, and as a result, thoroughly entertaining.

In the UK, the full four days are televised by ITV, which will allow fans to follow all of the action.

What Betting Opportunities are Available?

There are plenty of betting opportunities when it comes to the classics, and the St.Leger is no exception.

There are loads of different markets to explore, and different ways of trying to predict the outcome. It’s a hugely popular event with horse-racing punters, and the entire festival will attract plenty of interest from those who fancy a wager.

Key Betting Markets

Ante-Post Betting – Savvy punters will always aim to be one step ahead, and many of them will take an ante-post price on a horse to win the St.Leger. This is often as a result of seeing a potential contender last 1m 6f with relative ease in one of the many warm-up events. The ante-post markets tend to be available all year round, and most UK bookmakers will shuffle the odds frequently during the build-up.

Outright Winner – Nice and simple. This is simply predicting which horse will win the race. There is usually decent-sized field, and plenty of horses to pick from, making it a very open contest. As a result, big-priced winners are not uncommon in the St.Leger. Your chosen horse must be first to cross the line in order to receive a pay-out.

Each-Way – Each-way betting is very popular with punters who are seeking some value. This allows a degree of flexibility regarding the outcome. Bigger priced runners are usually ideal for this, as the majority of bookmakers will pay-out 1/5 of the odds if your horse runs into a place. Some bookmakers will occasionally pay additional places on the contest, so it’s always best to shop around. If it is a field of 8-12, you will be paid out for the first three places, 12-16 runners will result in the first four home paying out at each-way odds.

Match Bet – Some bookmakers will also offer additional markets such as match betting. This will select two popular competitors (Horse A and Horse B) and ask punters to decide which one of the pair will finish furthest ahead. This is ideal for those who do not wish to commit to a winner of the contest. If you’ve opted for Horse A to beat Horse B, and they come 2nd last and last, it doesn’t matter! As long as your chosen horse has come in front of its rival, you’ll receive your winnings.

Winning Jockey/Trainer – Often, bookies will also price up the possibility of a particular trainer or jockey winning the race. Aidan O’Brien is very popular in these markets having been victorious in the previous two stagings of the event. Leading trainers will often have more than a single entry, and therefore these markets can cover a number of competitors.

Bobby’s Big Betting Tips for the St.Leger

Stamina is Key – I realise that this sounds a pretty obvious statement, but not all horses will be able to last the 1 mile 6furlongs. Just because a horse has been successful over 1 mile 2furlongs, it doesn’t necessarily mean that it’ll enjoy the extra 4 fourlongs. Always check the pedigree of a horse, and study the racing comments as well. If a horse won at 1 mile 3furlongs, but it only just scrambled over the line, it may set off some alarm bells. Always make sure that your chosen horse will step up, or is already proven at the distance.

Check the Going and Forecast Before Placing a Bet – September is a mixed bag when it comes to the weather, and it can often be interchangable. Just because the going was good on the first day of the St.Leger festival, it doesn’t mean that it’ll stay that way for the Saturday. Keep checking the forecast as a sudden downpour could completely change a horses’ fortunes.

Don’t Dismiss the Smaller Operations – It is true that this race has been dominated by some heavy hitters in recent years. John Gosden, Aidan O’Brien and Sir Michael Stoute have all been prominent in the last decade or so, but every now and again, a less high-profile trainer will come up with the goods. Laura Mongan’s Harbour Law won in 2016, whilst Ralph Beckett and Tim Easterby has also won the race since 2000. The larger stables do tend to come to the fore in this event, but the smaller yards should not be completely dismissed out of hand.

ITV1 will be broadcasting the entire St.Leger Festival throughout the four days. They will be showing the St Leger live in the UK in mid-September. 

 

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Golden State Set For Three

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The Golden State Warriors have dominated the NBA for the last five years, winning three out of four NBA titles, and if the bookmakers are correct, they are heading for the first hat-trick of the franchise’s history, and the fourth since it was moved to the west coast in 1962.

The Warriors begin their Finals series against the Toronto Raptors on May 27 with home advantage and they are heavy favourites to win the seven-game contest. According to BetCris, the Warriors are as short as -290 to win the series, with the Raptors available at odds of +237. And it is hard to argue with those odds, given the sheer resilience that the Warriors have shown this season, which combined with their talent advantage, has made them irresistible in the play-offs.

It has been a bumpy ride though for Warriors fans, as a well-publicised falling out between Kevin Durant and Draymond Green, the issue of Durant’s expiring contract, and a series of injuries to key players, have all conspired to make their road to the play-offs a bumpy one. And yet, despite all that, they still topped the Western Conference, and improved as the play-offs went on, dispatching their old rivals Houston, then sweeping the Portland Trail Blazers 4-0 in the Western Conference Final.

There’s no doubt that their toughest challenge is yet to come. Toronto Raptors were destroyed by Lebron last year, but they went and got Kawhi Leonard and while everyone was talking about the Celtics and the Bucks and the 76ers, the Raptors just ground their way to the play-offs, with Danny Green, Pascal Siakam and Serge Ibaka complementing Kawhi’s greatness. Toronto went through Philadelphia and Milwaukee en route to the final, and, to add a little intrigue to this already-fascinating match-up, they won both of their regular season encounters with the Warriors.

Another fact that might give the Raptors hope is the relative decline in the quality of the Warriors’ defence. For the first time in five years, they’ve conceded more points per 100 possessions than the post-season average, and that will a weakness that Kawhi and co will aim to exploit.

But the challenge for Toronto is even bigger. So far, they’ve been up against teams that can, at best, match Kawhi one-on-one. Golden State will be able to throw Green, Andre Iguedola and even Klay Thompson into the fight against Toronto’s star, and he will be tested like he’s never been tested before. Meanwhile, Kyle Lowry will be charged with stopping Steff Curry, which is about as tough a defensive ask as you can think of for a point guard.

Toronto will make it hard for their opponents, and if Durant isn’t fit for the opening couple of games, they may be able to sneak an advantage. But it’s hard to argue with the bookmakers on this one. Unless Golden State suffer an unprecedented melt-down, the Championship is there’s for the taking.

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Can England deliver 2019 Cricket World Cup success?

England Cricket

2019 Cricket World Cup
May 30th – July 14th
Sky Sports

The Cricket World Cup has delivered tales of woe for England throughout the competition’s history. So much so, that the nation is still awaiting its first ever World Cup title. This summer’s tournament appears to offer a genuine chance of that duck being broken.

English supporters are certainly expecting the drought to end. England are the hosts of the 2019 World Cup and they have been tipped by many as the ones to beat. But will they be able to deliver the goods when the action starts?

Can England’s cricketers deliver?

England are the 2/1 outright favourites with top bookmakers to win the Cricket World cup 2019. The stars do seem to be aligning for them. They are fresh off making a clean sweep of Pakistan in  recent ODI series and England, captained by Eoin Morgan, are the top-ranked ODI team in the world.

They, of course, have home soil advantage on their side as well. When it comes to cricket, conditions favouring a home side are a big factor. That was evident in the 2015 World Cup when joint hosts Australia and New Zealand made it through to the Final, which was won by the former.

Players are brought up through the ranks playing in certain conditions. An English player playing County Cricket in their early career up and down the country is going to develop different skill sets, to a player raised in the hot and humid conditions of, for example, India.

So England, with batting and bowling in conditions that are favourable to them, have that massive advantage.

Past misses

But even when you put all of the positives surrounding England together, it doesn’t guarantee success on the pitch of course. England knocked on the door of World Cup success over the first five editions of the tournament. They were runners up three times and claimed a semi-final finish in the other two of those five tournaments. But then it has been all downhill for them.

In none of the last six editions of the Cricket World Cup have England managed to get past the Quarter Finals. They have had some horrible collapses as well. They were hosts back in 1999 and didn’t even make it out of the group stage. It was the same story four years ago. Another group stage failure.

Batting power

But England have more than one ace up their sleeves this time around. They are laden with supreme batting talent. It looks as if the 2019 Cricket World Cup is going to be all about batting power and high scores because that’s the way the game is going. If that is the case, England have to be close to getting their first CWC title.

They have batting power in spades. It starts with the prolific opening partnership of Jason Roy and Jonny Bairstow. Looking deeper down the batting order and seeing world-class names like Eoin Morgan, Joe Root, Jos Buttler, Moeen Ali along with the input that all-rounder Ben Stokes can deliver, it’s England’s batting threat which is attracting favouritism.

The batting line up runs deep which means that there is likely someone on a given day who is going to deliver a big score for them. If you look at the Top Batsman market for the tournament with leading bookmakers, three of the five shortest priced options are Englishmen; Bairstow, Root and Roy. Of them, it is Bairstow who is the shortest-priced at 10/1 odds.

The threats to England’s title challenge

Of course, there is no reason to suspect that England are just going to cruise through the tournament unchallenged. That’s not likely. In fact, their opening game of the tournament is not the easiest of games. They will be taking on South Africa on May 30th, the curtain-raiser to the 2019 World Cup. South Africa bring a solid batting line up with them and are capable of causing an upset. The Proteas are 74 underdogs with leading bookmakers to win that opening match, with England at 4/9 odds on.

Reigning Champions hit top form

But the two big threats to hosts England, as far as the title is concerned, are Australia and India. Australia, in particular, look to be peaking just at the right time. Top bookmakers have them as 7/2 third-favourites. They have won each of their last eight One Day International matches, all of those successes in the sequence coming against Pakistan and India.

So for sure, the Australians, who have won the tournament five times in their history ( making them the most successful nation in the history of the Cricket World Cup) are going to be a threat.

Before this current eight-match winning streak, they had crumbled to just two wins in thirteen games. But they look to have turned the corner. A victory over England in a warm-up match prior to the tournament showed what a danger they could be. Australia are the reigning Cricket World Cup holders after beating New Zealand four years ago. They aren’t going to lose their grip on it without a fight.

India’s incentive

The 2023 Cricket World Cup will be held in India. So how much would they love to host the tournament as the reigning champions? A lot. That’s a big incentive for India and it may be in the back of their minds as a motivator. India took the 2011 World Cup title and just fell short in a title defence four years ago, slipping out in the semi-finals. India are the 3/1 second-favourites for this year’s tournament with leading bookmakers.

They have arguably the best batsman in the world in Virat Kohli. Big performances from their captain is going to be crucial for their chances at potentially winning a third World Cup title. He is going to be ably backed up in the batting line up by the likes of Rohit Sharma and Shikhar Dhawan. Not only that, India have the world’s best ODI bowler up their sleeve in Jasprit Bumrah. He’s a star in all aspect of the word and is the 12/1 favourite to finish the tournament as the leading wicket-taker.

Summary

It is a big summer for England. They will be well-supported in their own backyard and the full weight of the country will be behind that. That can make a huge difference and this time around, England look capable of handling the pressure that is on their shoulders.

It would be a spectacular summer if they were to deliver the title. With the big threats of Australia and India there though, the hosts most certainly are not going to have things all their own way.

Follow the latest 2019 Cricket World Cup action with the best of the live bets at Big Bet Bookmakers.

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BOBBY’S BEST WEEKEND BETTING EVENTS – 1st – 2nd JUNE

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Soccer – Champions League Final – Liverpool vs Spurs

One of the biggest sporting events on the calendar takes place on Saturday night with the UEFA Champions League final taking place in Madrid. It is understandably the first of my big betting events for this weekend.

This year’s final involves two Premier League sides with both Liverpool and Spurs hoping to secure some silverware in the Spanish capital. The Reds narrowly missed out on Premier League glory, and they will be determined to avoid ending the campaign with nothing to show for their efforts. Jurgen Klopp’s side have been a joy to watch this season, and they barely put a foot wrong.

Liverpool edged past Barcelona to reach this stage of the competition, and they will also be keen to put last season’s CL final defeat firmly behind them here. They have very few injury issues to contend with, and only Naby Keita is a doubt for this showpiece event.

We were all writing off Spurs’ chances in the semi-final against Ajax, but they somehow came through, and thoroughly deserved their place in this game. Despite being injury-hit, Pochettino’s men turned the tie, and shocked the footballing world with their last-gasp victory.

The Argentinian boss will have a few things to conjure with here, especially considering Harry Kane may return in time to feature here. The striker hasn’t played competitive football for a number of months, but even a half-fit Kane will make a huge difference to Spurs’ play. Lucas Moura is highly unlikely to be dropped, whilst Son Hyeung Min’s relentless energy will always come in very handy.

Poch must decide how to approach this tie, and there will be questions asked by fans, regardless of his decision.

Liverpool won both of the two ties in the Premier League, but only be a single goal, and there was very little between the two sides during those 180 minutes of football. This tie may begin slowly, with both sides displaying plenty of nerves during the opening 15 minutes or so.

I can’t wait to see how the two sides match-up, and how they approach this HUGE clash. It’s going to be a tremendous spectacle, and both sides will be desperate to bounce back from their various disappointments this campaign.

Liverpool are always extremely enjoyable to watch, whilst Spurs never know when they are beaten. It’s an interesting mix of styles, and both managers will likely have some ideas up their sleeve.

UK viewers can watch the 2019 UEFA Champions League Final on both BT Sport and Youtube this weekend. 

 

International Cricket – Cricket World Cup –  New Zealand vs Sri Lanka

The third match of the 2019 Cricket World Cup takes place this weekend with New Zealand taking on Sri Lanka, and it’s the second of my big betting events.

The Black Caps are clear favourites to get their World Cup campaign off to a flying start here, and it’ll be interesting to see whether they can justify that support. They’re fourth in the World Rankings, and will be hoping to finish ahead of near-neighbours Australia in this competition.

I’ve really enjoyed watching Lasith Malinga in recent months, and he will play a major role for his country this summer. It is his fourth and final appearance at this tournament, as he will be forty in 2023, and is unlikely to return for the next Cricket World Cup. He currently boasts a tally of 322 wickets in International One Day events, and he will be Sri Lanka’s main weapon. If they are to stand any chance of beating the Black Caps this weekend, they will need Malinga in top form.

He is the only player to have taken three ODI wickets in Cricket World Cup, and he will hope to end on another high here.

New Zealand were runners up in 2015, and will be aiming to go one step further this time around. The Black Caps have a great record against weaker sides, and they are particularly effective on home soil, however they will be severely tested during the latter stages of this competition. Until that point, they will pretty hard to oppose, and I expect them to begin with a victory here.

Their 4-1 thrashing at the hands of India will surely become a distant memory once the action gets underway here.

New Zealand will face tougher examinations later down the line, but this should be a decent contest with Malinga and co asking plenty of questions of their batting line-up.

All matches at the Cricket World Cup will be broadcast on Sky Sports in the UK and Ireland. 

 

Soccer – Major League Soccer – DC United vs San Jose Earthquakes

The MLS continues apace throughout the summer months, and the standings are beginning to take shape. There are a number of big games taking place this weekend, but the match between DC United and San Jose Earthquakes is particularly intriguing, and that’s why it is the third of my big betting events.

DC United have attracted their fair share of headlines this season, largely due to the form of Wayne Rooney. The Scouser has made a decent start to life in Washington, and he scored from the spot last weekend to earn his side a valuable point.

Last season, DC relied on their formidable home form, and that has continued into 2019, with just two defeats so far. They have back-to-back home matches here, and they can add some valuable points to their tally here. They sit top of the Eastern Conference, but their lead is under threat from Seattle Sounders, and their recent form has been far from convincing.

San Jose Earthquakes were expected to struggle once again this season, and they looked on course for another disappointing campaign during the first few weeks. However, their recent form has been excellent, and they will make things tough for DC.

They are one of the in-form sides with three wins in their last five. Although the majority of their victories have arrived at the Avaya Stadium, they did pick up a 2-1 victory at BMO Field last weekend, and will be full of confidence.

SJ Earthquakes were battered 4-0 here last season, and they will be hoping to get their revenge on Saturday. They are yet to win at this stadium, but their recent form suggests that they may just get something from this clash. The odds suggest otherwise, but this tie is a fascinating match-up between the pair, and it could be closer than the betting dictates.

Coverage of this season’s MLS is being broadcast on Premier Sports and Freesports in the UK. 

 

Aussie Rules – AFL – Collingwood vs Freemantle

My fourth big betting event comes from the AFL as week 11. There are a number of terrific games to enjoy, although high-flying Collingwood’s tie with the Dockers is amongst the best.

The Pies have won eight of their first ten games, and only Geelong can rival that form so far. They’ve been victorious in each of their last five games, and come off the back of a narrow success against the Swans. They have lost Daniel Wells with the veteran player sustaining a left-knee injury. He will now miss three months, but they still have plenty of depth to their squad. They have added West Adelaide wingman John Noble to their roster in the mid-season rookie draft, and he will add plenty of speed to their side.

The Magpies have a great record in this match-up, and have been victorious in each of the last four meetings. This weekend, they will face a side who are just about clinging onto their eighth placed spot.

The Dockers got back to winning ways last weekend, with a 73-72 victory over the Lions, and that should give them some confidence coming into this tie. They haven’t been playing particularly well lately, but they do have the ability to cause some problems for their impressive hosts.

With recent victories against hapless Carlton, freefalling St.Kilda and the inconsistent Swans, The Pies haven’t had a proper test in a good few weeks, and they should relish the chance to face a decent calibre of opposition.

This should be a cracker of a contest, and one of the standout AFL matches of week 11.

BT Sport have coverage and highlights of the AFL this season in the UK

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

 

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Best Bets of the Day – Sunday, May 26th 2019

Mercedes

Monaco Grand Prix
F1 – 2.05 pm
Sky Sports

It has pretty much been a procession for Mercedes this season. They have dominated F1 in 2019, completing a 1-2 finish in all races so far. It has been three wins for Britain’s Lewis Hamilton and two for his teammate Valtteri Bottas in a one-sided contest between Mercedes and everyone else. Now it’s off to Monaco this weekend, which is the scene of where the most procession-like of all Formula One races occur.

The overtaking opportunities in Monaco are few and far between. Whoever gets out in front can set the pace and can easily defend their position. It’s the same all the way down the field and therefore this is all about the battle for pole position. Who is the king of that? That’s Hamilton who is 11/10 to get himself to the front of the grid, with Bottas at 11/4.

Hamilton is a two-time winner at Monaco. Last year it was Red Bull’s Daniel Ricciardo who surprised the field with a victory though. But with everyone trailing in Mercedes’ wake at the moment, a Mercedes 1-2 finish at Monaco is at 4/5 odds with top bookmakers. When it comes to the starting grid, whoever is at the front, assuming it is one of the two Mercedes drivers, that will likely be the time to jump on back the grid-leader in one of the best bets of the day.

South Africa v West Indies
ODI Cricket – 10.30 am
Sky Sports

The build-up to the 2019 Cricket World Cup continues with this warm-up match on Sunday. South Africa are heading to the tournament and they are pretty much flying under the radar a bit. The Proteas though have a very strong lineup, particularly in the batting department and they will be looking to build some momentum in the English conditions with this fixture. South Africa are 4/5 odds on favourites to win this battle against West Indies.

South Africa have won six of their last nine ODI international matches against the West Indies. This will be their first meeting since a 2016 series in the Caribbean. The West Indies have gone through some unsettled times recently, so they are looking for a bit of revival. Their path to success is throwing as many heavy hitters like Andre Russell out into action for them. The West Indies have won four of their nine matches played this year, two against Ireland and two against England. They are even money to win this warm up.

League One play-off final
Charlton v Sunderland – 3. 00 pm
Sky Sports

The battle for a spot in next season’s Championship goes down on Sunday. This may well be a highly intense clash as well because these are two sides who are very evenly matched. Things are tight between the two combatants with leading bookmakers. Sunderland just shade the favouritism at 17/10 with the Addicks at 2/1.

During the course of the regular season, Sunderland drew 19 of their 46 league fixtures. They have drawn three of their last six, picking up the one win in that sequence. The Mackems needed all of their defensive strength to edge past the stern challenge of Portsmouth in the playoff semi-final, the Black Cats winning 1-0 on aggregate custody of a home goal in the first leg .

Charlton meanwhile have won four of their last five games, so they are the ones who are carrying better form. They had a real ding-dong battle with Doncaster in their semifinal, the Addicks winning a penalty shootout on home soil. They lost the second leg at The Valley, which is just one of two defeats in their last nineteen games in all competition. Like Sunderland, Charlton are a good defensive side with a clean sheet in seven of their last eleven games. This Wembley clash may well need more than the regulation 90 minutes. This is going to be a puzzler for punters to figure  out.

Sampdoria v Juventus
Serie A – 5.00 pm
Premier Sports

Juventus will draw another successful domestic Serie A campaign to a close on the weekend. They have been on the wind-down since winning the league title early once again. Juve have clearly let their intensity slip away as they have failed to win any of their last four league outings (D3 L1). That’s totally understandable of course as they have nothing to play for whatsoever.

Even with this dip in form they are still eleven points clear at the top with one to play. It will be Masimilliano Allergri’s last game in charge as the club no  longer want to work with the man who has brought them five straight Serie A titles. The fact that Juve are so disinterested in this, may lead to punters taking a look at the value on Sampdoria.

Sampdoria are 16/5 underdogs for the game and they are much in the same boat as Juve. Just without the title. They are just inside the top ten and they have managed to pick up just the two points from their last five league games. So they aren’t in form either. Both of those points came in their last two away games and they are W3 L3 in their last six on home soil. This may well be a non-event at the end of the day, but that would probably pique interest in this being more of an even match than it should be.

Betting bonuses can add a nice little extra edge to your wager, take a look at some of the best available.

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Best Bets of the Day – Saturday, May 25th 2019

Eoin Morgan

Saracens v Gloucester
Premiership Rugby – 1.30 pm
BT Sport

This is the first of the Premiership semi-final matches this weekend. Saracens rested a lot of their main players last weekend as they lost at Worcester. Heading into that final round of the regular season, they did have a narrow chance of winning the league. They needed to win and for Exeter to not win their final fixture in order to have a chance. Neither thing happened. Saracens decided to not both with chasing down that slim chance of topping the table, instead focusing ahead for this clash with Gloucester.

With good reason, because even though Sarries are 10/11 for a -11 handicap in this fixture, Gloucester are a threat. Saracens know that having lost against the Cherry & Whites already this season. Saracens are the reigning Premiership holders and they have won four of their last five semi final matches. All six of the defeats that Saracens have taken this season have been since November. However, their home form is impeccable. They haven’t lost at the Allianz Park in over twenty matches in all competitions.

Gloucester are the only one of the four teams in the 2019 semi finals to have never won the Premiership. During a powerful run of form this season, Gloucester won six of seven games, beating Exeter and Saracens in that sequence. However, the win over Saracens was at home. Gloucester are winless in their last seven trips to Allianz Park. But the Cherry & Whites have had plenty of time to prepare, having secured a top-four place with three games to spare. Cracking the home form of Saracens is going to be tough and Gloucester are 10/3 in the match outright to do so.

Exeter v Northampton
Premiership Rugby – 4.30 pm
BT Sport

Exeter finished top of the table during the regular season in the Premiership. That means nothing in terms of winning the title, other than they are one of the four teams remaining who can do it this season. Just two of the last seven Premiership table-toppers have lifted the Premiership title that same season. This is the playoffs, a semi-final clash against Northampton and the winner will move though to the Premiership Final.

These two met last weekend in the final round of regular season action and it was a great game too. The two were level at the halftime break with both teams having something at stake. Exeter needed to win to guarantee top spot. Northampton needed a win to guarantee that they reached the semi-finals. It was Exeter who poured on the pressure in the second half of the fixture posting a big 40-21 success.

At Sandy Park, Exeter have lost just one game since February last year and with them having won four of their last five against the Saints, they are heading to the game as favourites. The Chiefs are 10/11 with top bookies to cover a -11 handicap. Northampton squeezed through to the semi-finals because of Harlequins missing a late penalty kick against Wasps on the final day of action. Can they take their chance at Sandy Park in this reprieve? Their loss against Exeter on the weekend snapped a three-match winning streak they were on. The Saints are on a seven-match losing streak at Sandy Park. They have big 10/3 underdog outright odds to defy.

Newport v Tranmere
League 2 Play-Off Final – 3.00 pm
Sky Sports

One of these will be moving on up to League One next season. Who will it be? This has the look of being a really tight and tense meeting at Wembley. Newport have been so well organised in defence this season and they closed out the season with an unbeaten 10 match sequence of games. The Exiles picked up a clean sheet in seven of those ten games. They superbly held off Mansfield in their playoff semifinal in the second leg away from home. They won through on a penalty shootout and are 2/1 underdogs at Wembley.

Tranmere have not been in great winning touch since the beginning of April really. They have won just two of their last nine games though. Rovers have gone W1 D3 L2 in their last six played. The one victory in that sequence was at home against Forest Green in the first leg of their playoff semi-final. Tranmere were helped out a lot in that playoff semi-final tie as well, their opponents picking up a red card in both legs of the tie. Tranmere did finish the regular season with a better defensive record than Newport. Can they rediscover their form when they need it most? They are 6/4 favourites still for the day at top bookies.

England v Australia
Cricket
Sky Sports

An old rivalry is rekindled here and this is a fantastic primer ahead of the 2019 Cricket World Cup. England, as hosts, are going into the summer action as the outright favourites to lift the trophy. They head into this warm up after beating Pakistan 4-0 in their recent ODI series. With everything aligning for them, from the World Cup being a home tournament to them being the number one ranked ODI team in the world, England are the ones to beat.

But beating England is exactly what their old foes Australia are going to be aiming to do on the weekend when they arrive. The tourists are 13/10 underdogs in Southampton. Australia have just started to show a bit of form as well after having some difficulties. Recent positive results against Pakistan and India have lifted their spirits. The return of the experienced David Warner and Steve Smith has helped them ahead of the World Cup.

However, will punters simply see an England victory as one of the best bets of the day, as they have won ten of the last eleven ODI internationals against Australia? This will be the first meeting between the two teams in a ODI in Southampton since a 2015 clash was won there by Australia. The leading bookmakers have England as 8/13 favourites for the match victory.

Another fantastic, thrilling Saturday of top sporting action ahead, so stay informed with the latest live bets.