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April 2, 2019

Premier League Darts Betting Forecast for Week 10 in Belfast

With Raymond van Barneveld a distant memory in this season’s Premier League, eight players remain in the race for a place at this year’s playoff evening at the O2 Arena. MVG is the current pace-setter having notched up back-to-back wins in his native Netherlands, with Rob Cross keeping his rival in check, trailing by a slender six legs in the legs difference.

James Wade and Daryl Gurney make up the rest of the top four, with Michael Smith four points off the running at the bottom of the pile; Smith is more than capable of making up this deficit, proving there is still everything to play for in this year’s Premier League.

Belfast hosts week 10 of the tournament, with a raucous home reception expected to greet Daryl Gurney inside the SSE Arena. The Northern Irishman scooped his maiden European Tour trophy at the weekend beating Rapid Ricky Evans in the final, so it’s hard to imagine any player better suited for a strong performance this Thursday.

In a slight change to the format in phase two of the group stages, matches will be contested over a best-of-fourteen format.

Let’s take a look at the best of the action:

Mensur Suljovic vs James Wade

Suljovic’s winning run came to a halt at the hands of a rampant Daryl Gurney last week; the Austrian still has strong aspirations of a playoff finish. Wade is going on and off the boil, still clinging onto his place in the top four. Suljovic can leapfrog The Machine with a victory. Suljovic’s slow style is likely to frustrate Wade again following a 7-3 win in week 6. Suljovic in a long one, 8-6.

Suljovic 8-6 Wade @ 9/1 (BetVictor)

Michael Smith vs Peter Wright

Smith needs this victory. The Bully Boy has under-performed so far this season, but is still fighting for a route into the top four. A victory over Wright is crucial for his aspirations, with Snakebite the only player above him in the standings. Back Smith to bank the most 180s, with Wright proving hard to shake off until late.

Michael Smith to throw the most 180s @ 4/5 (BetVictor)

Rob Cross vs Daryl Gurney

Gurney’s win in the European Tour at the weekend will inspire a late run in the second phase of the Premier League. Superchin is clinging onto his playoff spot, but Cross has taken five wins from his last six Premier League outings. This one looks likely to go deep, with a 7-7 draw providing real value. Also, back all 14 legs to be contested, with Gurney being pushed by the home support.

Cross 7-7 Gurney @ 7/2 (BetVictor)

Michael van Gerwen vs Gerwyn Price

Price has just one win in his last four, and after a positive start to his second Premier League season, the Ice Man is in danger of falling out of contention. MVG is back to his fluid best after a couple of nervy results from weeks 4-7. Van Gerwen should flex his muscles in Belfast, with a win inside 12.5 legs.

Under 12.5 legs @ 4/6 (BetVictor)

Find the Latest Betting Odds for Professional Darts here at BigBetBookmakers.com featured at the BIGGEST BETS OF THE DAY& BIG LIVE BETS NOW Pages

April 2, 2019April 2, 2019

Big Sporting Events: World MatchPlay Darts

The World MatchPlay is an annual professional darts tournament which is held at the Winter Gardens in Blackpool. It is organised by the PDC, and has taken place every single year since 1994.

It is one of biggest darts events on the sporting calendar, and is one of the few major tournaments to take place during the summer months.

The tournament is the viewed as the final leg of ‘Darts Triple Crown’, with players vying to win the World Darts Championship, the Premier League and the World MatchPlay. This feat was acheived in 2018 by Gary Anderson. He became just the third player to do so.

Only eight players have ever won the World MatchPlay despite 24 stagings of the event. Phil Taylor dominated the tournament, and won it on 16 times in total. His last victory arrived in 2017 shortly before his retirement from the sport. Other notable players to have won the event include Colin Lloyd, Michael Van Gerwen and Rod Harrington. In 2002, Taylor hit the first televised nine-darter at this tournament. John Part and Raymond Van Barneveld have also hit nine-darters at this event.

Phil Taylor is also responsible for the highest one-match average at the tournament, hitting 114.99 against Barrie Bates in 2010.

James Wade has appeared in the final on six different occasions, but he’s only been victorious at the tournament once.

The Winter Gardens is an iconic venue in the North West of England, and sports fans regularly flock to the seaside town to enjoy a weekend of top-class darts.

The format of the World MatchPlay has remained fairly consistent over the years, although there have been tweaks to the scoring and length of games over the past few years. In 1994, it was first to eight legs in the opening round, but this has since been increased to first to ten. The final has also been extended, and is now first to eighteen legs. Players must also win the match by two clear legs in order to progress to the next round.

There is a sudden death rule, which was introduced in 2013, but it wasn’t used until 2018, when John Henderson and Kim Huybrechts couldn’t be separated. It ended 13-12 to the Belgian.

The current format has been in existence since 2016.

There is currently £700,000 in prizes to be won at the World MatchPlay. The winner will take home £150,000 whilst the runner-up will bag £70,000 for making it to the final two.

The top 16 players in the rankings will automatically be seeded for the event. 16 Pro Tour players will need to qualify for the event, and these will be unseeded.

When and Where?

The tournament is held at the iconic Winter Gardens, which is located in Blackpool. It typically takes place in July, usually towards the end of the month. In 2019, it will be held between the 20th and 28th of the month. This includes qualifying.

Why is the World MatchPlay So Popular?

The tournament’s position in the calendar is part of the reason for its success. There are very few high-profile darts events taking place in the summer months, and it has been a couple of months since the Premier League concluded. It’s also a chance for fans to spend a summer weekend by the sea.

From a sporting perspective, it attracts all of the top PDC players, and it’s always an event that every player wants to win. There is always plenty of prize money available, and therefore it’s always a decent watch.

What Betting Opportunities are Available?

There are plenty of betting opportunities available for the tournament. Outside of the World Championships and the Premier League, it is one of the most popular darts events on the calendar from a punting perspective.

There are ante-post markets, which are usually priced up within a week of the tournament getting underway. There are also match-by-match markets available, whilst in-play betting is rife throughout the seven days.

Key Betting Markets

Tournament Outright – This is the most popular way of betting on the World MatchPlay. Punters must predict which player will come out on top. The chosen player must be victorious in the final in order to secure a pay-out. In recent years, this has been a fairly straightforward process, but since Phil Taylor’s retirement, the field is far more open, and the betting reflects that.

E/W Outright – There is also each-way betting available on the tournament outright, and this will pay out if your chosen player reaches the final. Even if they are defeated in the showpiece event, it will be paid out at 1/2 the odds. This is ideal for bigger priced players.

To Reach the Semi-Finals/Quarter Finals etc – Some bookmakers will now offer additional markets to sit alongside the tournament outright betting. These may include predicting a player to make to the final four or final eight. This is ideal for those who fancy an up-and-coming player to exceed expectations.

To Win Match – Throughout the tournament, there will be match-by-match betting available. Some of the prices are often prohibitive, but many punters opt to place multiple matches in a tournament accumulator. Players will need to win the match, and qualify for the next round of the tournament in order for punters to receive a payout.

Total 180s – There will be multiple match-markets available, but the 180s are often hugely popular with punters. This is predicting how many 180s will be thrown throughout the contest. One of the reasons why this market is hugely popular as it eliminates the prospect of predicting the outcome of the match. Two big-throwing players or a match which is likely to go the distance are ideal for this market.

To Hit the Most 180s – Similar to the above market. This is predicting which of the two players will hit the most 180s during the game itself. Better players do not neccessarily hit more 180s. Phil Taylor would routinely aim for treble 19 during the latter stages of his career, and rarely won the 180s battle.

Highest Checkout – Hitting your checkouts is vitally important, and every player will be hoping for a 170 checkout. But these are very few and far between. It is possible to bet on which player will achieve the highest match checkout during the match.

Highest 3-Dart Average – Players will maintain an average throughout the game, and this market allows punters to predict which player will have the highest numbers. Typically the winning player will throw the highest average although this isn’t a given. A player may have a high average, but fail to land their doubles and lose the match.

Handicap Markets – Like all sports, the handicap markets are a very handy way of getting involved in seemingly one-sided contests. These allow the underdog a head start (+2.5 legs for example) or give the odds-on favourite a handicap to overcome. These are ideal for the first round of the tournament.

Bull Finish – This is simply predicting whether a player will end a leg with a bull finish. This isn’t as common as it sounds, and depending on the players involved, big prices are often available.

170 Finish? – Again, big prices available for players who complete a 170 checkout. This is the maxiumum checkout available, and is relatively rare under the lights. Players such as Michael Van Gerwen do hit them occasionally, and although it is a leap of faith, it can be hugely rewarding for punters who keep the faith.

Nine Darter? – This is another big priced selection. Nine darters aren’t particularly common, although this the Blackpool crowd has witnessed a few of them over the years. Can a player checkout using just nine darts? These are always greeted enthusiastically by the crowd.

Bobby’s Big Betting Tips for the World MatchPlay

Explore Other Markets – This may seem like an obvious piece of advice, but it often pays to scour the bookies offerings before settling on a selection. Match prices can be hugely prohibitive, and if you’re looking for a single wager, then it’s best to look elsewhere. Whether it’s backing a player to hit ‘Over X 180s’, or have an average of ‘Over X’, these are excellent ways of finding a little more value.

Previous Tournament Record – As we’ve only seen eight different winners of this tournament, it is evident that the World MatchPlay isn’t favoured by every single player on the tour. Players who’ve progressed to the latter stages in previous years may be worth considering next time out. in 2019, Gary Anderson is likely to be coming off the back of an injury lay-off, and it may pay to look elsewhere in the outright market.

Plot the Route of Each Player – Once the draw has been made, it is advised to work out how each player can reach the final. Avoid backing players who will meet tough opponents before the quarter-final stage. Top players will sometimes get lucky, and be drawn on a seemingly simpler side of the draw. These could be ones to keep an eye on. If you can get in there before the prices shorten – even better!

Big Crowds Can Play Their Part – It is always a terrific atmosphere at the Winter Gardens, and the crowd can be overbearing to those players who haven’t experienced before. First timers are unlikely to go all the way, and those who lack the big-match experience may struggle to concentrate on their game as a result. It’s best to back players who have either played here before, or those who are more accustomed to potential distractions.

Where Can I watch the World MatchPlay in the UK?

UK darts fans can enjoy all of the action from the PDC World Matchplay on Sky Sports. They will be broadcasting the entire tournament once again in 2019.

April 1, 2019April 1, 2019

BOBBY’S BEST WEEKEND BETTING EVENTS – 6TH-7TH APRIL

Soccer – Bundesliga – Bayern Munich vs Borussia Dortmund

The first of this weekend’s big betting events comes from the Bundesliga, and what a mouthwatering tie this could be! Bayern dropped points last weekend at Freiburg, and that allowed Dortmund to regain top spot. Niko Kovac’s side will be desperate to get back to winning ways when they host their title rivals at the Allianz on Saturday.

It’s been great to see two sides fight it out for the title, and the neutrals will be keen to see Dortmund end the recent Bayern dominance. BVB have been a joy to watch this season, and their free-flowing attacking football is incredible easy-on-eye. Marco Reus has enjoyed a decent second half to the season, and the arrival of Paco Alcacer has given them a new dimension. The former Barcelona man was last weekend’s hero with two late goals, and although he’s been largely utilised from the bench this campaign, he’s scored a plethora of important goals.

Bayern started the season slowly, but amid rumours of dressing room disharmony and potential managerial changes, they pulled through, and are now just two points behind their opponents. Kovac criticised his team’s performance and attitude this weekend, and the pressure is back on. Whether lambasting the players in public has the desired effect remains to be seen.

This game is very interesting, not just because it will be hugely entertaining, but also because the odds are so heavily in favour of the hosts. Bayern are odds-on for this fixture, but their performance at the weekend doesn’t suggest that this will be a walk in the park. Dortmund’s intensity levels have dropped and they will be without Achraf Hakimi and Abdou Diallo have both picked up fresh injuries, and won’t be able to feature here.

Dortmund have only won two of their last five away games, and they aren’t exactly reliable on the road. However, I can’t help feel as though they are overpriced in this game, and it could be closer than we think. It ended 3-2 to BVB when they met earlier in the campaign, and we could be in for another end-to-end 90 minutes. There is so much at stake, but this is unlikely to be cagey, and I can’t wait to tune in on Saturday night.

This Bundesliga game will be shown live on BT Sport 1 in the UK on Saturday night.

Soccer – FA Cup – Manchester City vs Brighton

Unfortunately, this game kicks off at the same time as the top-of-the-table Bundesliga game, however it should be a cracking watch. It is the second of my big betting events this weekend.

It’s a busy period for Pep’s side, and they are still in contention for the quadruple this season. However, it’ll be interesting to see how the former Bayern boss manages his squad over the next ten days or so. They face a tricky trip to North London for the first leg of their Champions League double with Spurs on Tuesday, and he may opt to keep some of his players fresh on Saturday.

The betting suggests that it should be easy pickings for the champions, and it’ll be interesting to see how the markets react to team news being announced. I’ll certainly be paying careful attention to the odds when the XI is named on Saturday.

The markets are also suggesting that City will bag plenty of goals in this match, and whilst that could be the case, I’d be a little more cautious. They only netted twice against Fulham despite making a fast start, and with important fixtures on the horizon, Pep’s men may not wish to expend too much energy if they are comfortable.

Brighton were defeated at the weekend, but played reasonably well against Southampton. The side from the AMEX have had a mixed season, and I’ve found them difficult to get a grip on. Chris Hughton’s side have been competitive at home, but ropey away from home. They are unlikely to be overrawed by the occasion, but how long can they keep this free-scoring City side at bay for?

The Seagulls lost 2-0 at the Etihad earlier in the season, and only had 24% possession in that game. I expect City to have plenty of the ball, but I don’t think it’ll be a thrashing on their part.

It should be a very entertaining 90 minutes of cup football, and team news will be the most intriguing part of this clash.

FA Cup coverage will take place throughout the weekend on BBC1, and this match will be screened live on Saturday night.

Aussie Rules – AFL – Collingwood vs West Coast

The third of my big betting events comes from the AFL, and this is an interesting clash between two sides who picked up their first victory of the season last weekend. Collingwood slipped up against Geelong Cats during the opening round of fixtures, but they remained competitive throughout the game. They bounced back with a convincing 110-66 success against the Tigers.

West Coast also got off to an underwhelming start when they were defeated by the Brisbane Lions, but they got off the mark with a decisive victory over Greater Western Sydney last weekend.

Both teams were defeated by sides who have won each of their opening two matches, so there can be very little shame in those defeats, and the pair should be fighting it out for a play-off position this year.

I’m really looking forward to seeing Jordan de Goey in action this weekend. He lit up the MCG on Thursday night, and he is one-to-watch this season. The 23-year old still needs to improve his overall consistency, but there is little doubt that he has a bright future in the game, and he certainly put in an eye-catching performance last week. He also played a significant role when these sides met in July 2018, and he clearly enjoys playing against the Eagles.

West Coast’s performance last weekend was very impressive, snapping a losing run, and they should be able to kick on from here. They do still have a few injury problems, particularly in forward areas, but they should be able to put pressure on their opponents here.

Collingwood are odds-on favourites for this meeting, and it’s perfectly understandable, but they haven’t beaten West Coast in their last three meetings including a heartbreaking AFL Final defeat at the end of September.

I probably should have mentioned by now that this is the first time the pair have met since that significant occasion, and West Coast will be keen to keep the unbeaten going here.

I really enjoyed last year’s AFL Final, and I hope this game is played with the same intensity. It should be a cracker, and a chance for both sides to get some more early season points on board.

All of this season’s AFL Coverage can be found on BT Sport and on the BT Sport App.

Soccer – Scottish Premiership – Hearts vs Hibernian

The Edinburgh derby takes place this weekend, with Hearts facing Hibs at Tynecastle and it’s the fourth of my big betting events. Following the excitement of last week’s Old Firm, this should be another cracking match-up in the Scottish Premiership.

Hearts have had a very peculiar season, and their form has been up and down. They’ve actually only won two of their last seven coming into this game, but they did beat Aberdeen here last weekend. They have a big game with Rangers on Wednesday night, but they’ll have one eye on this all-Edinburgh clash.

Hibs have really benefitted from Paul Heckingbottom’s arrival. The Yorkshireman has helped transform the side, and they were 2-1 victors at Livingston last weekend. They’ve won five of the last six in the Premiership, and will be keen to keep that run going. They may only have won five times on the road this season, but they’ve been victorious in each of the last three, and shouldn’t be underestimated here.

Hearts are understandably the favourites in this tie, but it could be close, and I am certainly looking forward to watching this game. It should be end-to-end, and I don’t expect either team to keep a clean sheet.

There have been 26 goals in the last five meetings between this pair, and I think that pattern should continue here.

Can Paul Heckingbottom mastermind his first victory in the Edinburgh derby? The fans are already pleased with his impact, but this would be the ultimate way to win over any sceptical supporters.

Scottish Premiership fans can enjoy this game on BT Sport 1 on Saturday lunchtime.

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

April 1, 2019April 1, 2019

Will Conor McGregor’s MMA retirement be for real this time?

So Conor McGregor has announced another retirement. Back in 2016, MMA fighter “Notorious” hit up Twitter to tell everyone that he was going to take a nice early retirement from the sport.

The decision on that occasion didn’t actually last all that long before it was reversed. McGregor was lured back to action because of a rematch with Nate Diaz, who had inflicted the first career defeat upon the Irishman.

It was a Twitter announcement again in 2019 by McGregor, announcing his retirement from Mixed Martial Arts. So while some may yawn at the retirement news, others will be treating it with some scepticism. Others will be wondering in what direction he will head off into next.

One thing is set in stone and that is, “Notorious” is never far from the headlines and outside of the octagon it has been for a lot of the wrong reasons: slapping a commissioner at Bellator 187, the bus attack at UFC 223, getting arrested as recently as March 2019 in Florida for allegedly stealing and a smashing cellphone of someone who was trying to get a snap of him. That kind of stuff.

Full MMA Retirement

Is he staying away from MMA? McGregor is now in the whiskey business. He has gone into this liquor venture which seems to be going extremely well. The whiskey business should keep him entertained, doing promoting and running that.

He, of course, has the money behind him from having drawn such spectacular purses through his career, so that he can put his feet up for the rest of his life and not have a care in the world if he so wished.

So what are the chances that he stays away from sporting action for the rest of his life?

If he does so, he takes a W21 L4 MMA record with him (18 knockouts), along with the distinction of having been a three-weight world champion. Will he brush off the lure of a UFC return? I actually think this is viable for him.

He doesn’t need the money of course. McGregor really doesn’t have anything to prove and he didn’t care that he gave up a belt in his hiatus after 2016. He now has his whiskey business to keep him occupied.

But then there is the other side of things. It may not take much for someone to call him out, to get him riled up. McGregor could easily make another massive payday or two without batting an eyelid. There may come a desire to be back in the public spotlight more.

Let’s look at the options of not retiring.

MMA Return

Would he be lured back to the octagon? This is the most intriguing question about all of this. It is worth bearing in mind though that McGregor’s last success in MMA was back in November 2016 when he beat Eddie Alvarez to win the UFC Lightweight Championship in New York. It was two years later that he finally got back into MMA action when he faced Khabib Nurmagomedov in that spectacular fight.

McGregor lost in the fourth round to a submission. Then chaos descended as a mass brawl was sparked off. Both fighters received suspensions and fines for the incident. What would be the biggest bait to lure McGregor back to the UFC (aside from a major payday)?

A rematch against Nurmagomedov. That was highly touted right after the fight, but the hype died away. McGregor’s not exactly one to back down from a challenge if it was to get sparked up again. However, would he be first in line for a title shot? Top bookmakers have McGregor at odds on at 2/5 to reappear in a UFC fight before the end of 2022.

Boxing Bout

During that time away after his rematch win over Nate Diaz and his battle with Nurmagomedov, McGregor went off on a tangent. That tangent was a 2017 battle against boxing legend Floyd Mayweather. It was a boxing contest which was known as “The Money Fight” in Vegas with McGregor getting a cool $30 million paycheck for his time. McGregor lost the bout and at the end of it, pretty much shut the door on any return to the sport. It wasn’t long after that though in an interview he said he would consider boxing again.

Leading bookmakers have him at 15/8 odds to get back into the boxing ring before the end of 2022 for a professional fight. Now this seems to be the most logical route for him to take if he really has retired from MMA but is still itching for a fight. McGergor has had a taste of it against one of the legends of the sport and he has the physical conditioning for it of course. However, a rematch against Mayweather is highly unlikely and it’s hard to see any big payday, therefore, happening for McGregor in boxing. It would be a matter of working his way up the ranks, which probably wouldn’t be all that appealing.

WWE

Ronda Rousey made a famous UFC to WWE crossover. Would “Notorious” follow suit into the world of wresting? After his retirement announcement this March, there were people pointing out the timing of it with Wrestlemania 35 coming up on April 7th. Bookmakers were quick to jump on that, offering even money on McGregor making an appearance in the ring at the event. That doesn’t mean a fight, just putting in an appearance.

That would be a massive coup for WWE for sure. McGregor has a fan base. He is equally loved and hated it would seem in the public eye and could make a fit for WWE. McGregor’s “Notorious” tag would no-doubt delight the wrestling fans. Making the move to wrestling would come without the pressure that would be there with UFC or boxing returns. It would be an easy payday. I found one bookmaker offering short odds of 2/1 that McGregor wins the WWE Championship before the end of 2022.

The Novelties

Of course, there are novelty markets offering some spurious options and speculations about what McGregor may do next. Everything from appearing on reality TV, to having a UK number one hit single and winning an Oscar has been tossed out there. But for me, McGregor is a public novelty, but he’s unlikely to play to novelties though.

Predictions

At the end of the day, McGregor doesn’t need to do anything. He’s been there done it. He has started off on other interests.

Before he announced his retirement though, he was hitting US media saying that he was gearing up for something in the UFC, potentially for July when his ban is over.

He seemed pumped up. But then the retirement announcement. What happened inbetween for him to close the door? Is it closed?

Still the thing to most likely pull McGregor out of retirement would be the UFC. From now to July that’s a long time for negotiations and offers to happen. Life happens.

Have we seen the last of “Notorious” in a fighting capacity? Time will tell.

The best bookmaker to fit your betting needs goes hand in glove, look at some of the most highly recommended ones here.

March 31, 2019March 28, 2019

Best Bets of the Day – Sunday, March 31st 2019

Celtic v Rangers
Scottish Premiership – 12.00 pm
Sky Sports

What a day of sport Sunday is going to be. Let’s jump right into the best bets of the day preview with the not so small matter of the Old Firm derby in Glasgow. Celtic have full command of the title race in Scotland with Rangers having had some slips recently. Celtic are still undefeated on home soil this season, winning all but one of their home games. In that sequence of home games, they have averaged 2.7 goals per game with a clean sheet in 73% of fixtures. They are 4/5 odds-on to win this with leading bookmakers.

Rangers and Celtic both took 1-0 home wins in their two meetings this season in the league. The Gers have just slipped out of form with no win in their last four across all competitions (D3 L1). They have fallen off the pace in the league with a W2 D3 record in their last five. They are undefeated in their last eight Premiership games, but still, it’s not been enough to keep tabs on their rivals. But they will carry a W3 D1 record in their last four away games, with them to Celtic Park. Can they make a small dent in Celtic’s 10 point lead at the top?

Cardiff v Chelsea
Premier League – 2.05 pm
Sky Sports

What an interesting fixture this is going to be in South Wales. On paper, and in the minds of the bookmakers who have Chelsea at 2/5 odds-on favourites for the win, this is a foregone conclusion. Namely a win for Chelsea to win. However, the Blues are in some horrible away form. They have lost four of their last five on the road, not scoring in any of those and conceding a whopping 14 goals in the process. There is one positive that Chelsea can take into the game. That is, they have won all away games against teams currently 13th or lower this season.

Cardiff though will be up for a fight. They need to be with relegation looming. Cardiff have won two of their last four home games in the league (L2) and given Chelsea’s travelling woes, what will the Bluebirds be able to produce? They do have the third-worst defensive record in the division, but with Chelsea misfiring so badly in front of goal away from Stamford Bridge, is there an opening for the home side?

Portsmouth v Sunderland
FA Trophy Final – 2.30 pm
Sky Sports

A piece of silverware will be handed over at Wembley on Sunday. This is the FA Trophy Final and both of these League One sides are making their first-ever appearance in this showcase match. They have both produced tremendous form as well in the competition, with Portsmouth winning all seven of their games, conceding just two goals in the process.

Sunderland went W6 D1 in their seven FA Trophy matches on the way to the final, conceding only one goal. Does that mean goals will be at a premium at Wembley on Sunday? The top bookmakers have under 2.5 goals at 3/4 for this duel. Sunderland are currently on a nineteen match undefeated streak in all competitions but lost against Portsmouth in League One earlier this season.

Bahrain Grand Prix
F1 – 4.00 pm
Sky Sports

The F1 season moves on to round two, out in Bahrain. The track in Sakhir is the polar opposite of what the drivers faced on the opening weekend in Melbourne. It was Mercedes driver Valtteri Bottas who pulled off a surprise win in Australia. That was after all the focus had been on teammate Lewis Hamilton who went from the front of the grid. Bottas got the jump on Hamilton though and put in a fantastic drive.

Surprisingly the Ferrari’s of Sebastian Vettel and Charles Leclerc lacked the speed that they had promised in pre-season testing. Will they be able to recover in Bahrain, where they should get more out of their car? Hamilton goes as the 11/8 favourite with Vettel at 3/1 second favourite and then Bottas at 5/2. It’s early season, but the excitement and tension has already been amped up. It’s all eyes on Ferrari’s response.

Liverpool v Tottenham
Premier League – 4.30 pm
Sky Sports

Here it is then. The game of the weekend in the English top flight. Liverpool can’t afford to drop points at this stage of the season in their hunt for the title. They are still embroiled in their tight scrap with Manchester City for that. Liverpool boast an awesome home record this season of W13 D2 L0. Their scoring has been up there as well with an average of almost three goals per game. They have scored at least three goals in six of their last seven at Anfield (W6 D1).

Their defence has been immense as well, conceding only 9 goals in 15 games. The Reds are 11/20 odds-on favourites with top bookmakers to win this top-three clash. Part of the reason for that is that Spurs are out of form. The Lilywhites are on three match losing streak away from home, defeats in that sequence coming against Burnley and Southampton who are in the bottom half of the table.

It is a four-match winless streak that Spurs are currently on, home and away. They have also lost three of their five away games against the other Big Six teams. But how long will Spurs be kept down? They have won 11 of 16 away games this season. They need to produce at Anfield as their top-four ambitions are starting to look in jeopardy. Spurs are 5/1 underdogs to pull out the win.

Don’t miss out on a betting opportunity on this busy Sunday, watch the live bets section for the current odds

March 30, 2019March 28, 2019

Best Bets of the Day – Saturday, March 30th 2019

Fulham v Man City
Premier League – 12.30 pm
Sky Sports

Manchester City will step back out into action with a great incentive in front of them on Saturday lunchtime. This is the first game of the weekend in the English top flight. Therefore it means that City will go back top over Liverpool with three points earned. Liverpool face Tottenham on Sunday in a huge showdown at Anfield. So there is a big chance for City to put some pressure on their title rivals in this one. They are such overwhelming favourites for this match that they are odds on at 4/5 with leading bookmakers to win to nil.

The Citizens are on a six-match winning streak in the league at the moment. They have won all three games played away from home against sides currently in the bottom five, scoring at least three goals in each of those. After the international break, this is a great game for Manchester City to be swinging back into action with. Some much tougher tests will be coming up in April against Spurs and Man Utd, so they have to keep their eye on the ball. Will they have too much for Fulham?

The Cottagers looked doomed to the Championship and they are on a seven-match losing streak in the league. This is their fourth home game in a row against one of the Big Six. They have lost their last three against Man Utd, Chelsea and then Liverpool. To their credit, they did at least get on the scoresheet against Chelsea and Liverpool, but their defence just hasn’t shown the improvement needed to get themselves out of their hole. But if they want any hope going into this from the position of 16/1 underdogs, three of Man City’s four league defeats this season have been away from home.

Saracens v Glasgow
European Champions Cup Rugby – 3.15 pm
BT Sport

This is one to look forward to in the European Champions Cup. Saracens romped to six wins from six in the pool stage of the competition. In their pool, they were alongside the Glasgow Warriors too, so these two have already seen plenty of each other. Saracens collected a win north of the border in their first meeting, a 13-3 success . Then they cut loose a bit more back on home soil with a 38-19 victory over Glasgow.

Glasgow are up against it here and the top bookmakers have a big +15 handicap at 10/11 on them. But they are a side in form. In their Pro 14 league they have won their last five on the bounce. So they have some wind in their sails. Even though they did lose at Saracens in the group stage, they did win their other two away fixtures, picking up a bonus point in each of them as well. The Scottish outfit are big underdogs in this one. However, how close can they push Saracens on the scoreboard?

Middlesbrough v Norwich
Championship – 5.30 pm
Sky Sports

Championship action from the Riverside it is to continue our best bets of the day preview for Saturday. Middlesbrough are in some choppy waters at the moment with a three match losings streak going. They have lost their last two on home soil as well, both 2-1 reverses. So that has left their position in the top six just a little bit vulnerable. They are only in there by one point heading into the weekend. If they were to lose this, there are a bunch of teams breathing down their neck, waiting to pounce.

Norwich are singing a fine tune at the moment in contrast. They are just cruising along on a six-match winning streak in the division. They have scored at least two goals in 9 of their last 11 games played in the Championship now. They have averaged 1.9 goals per away game as well, so maybe this is a good time for them to be heading to the Riverside with Boro out of form. The leading bookies think so. They have the Canaries as 6/4 favourites for the fixture with the hosts at 9/5.

Liam Smith v Sam Eggington
Boxing – 10.00 pm
Sky Sports

There’s a good bit of boxing action coming up on Saturday night in this Liverpool bout. This is an all British scrap at the welterweight level. Usually, when fights come around it’s for big honours. This is one is simply about a bit of pride and the chance to climb back up the rankings towards title shots.

Smith is the 1/10 odds on favourite but goes into the fight on the back of a heavy loss against Mexico’s Jaime Munguia in July. That was a WBO light middleweight title fight. It was a belt that Smith had lost to Canelo Alvarez in 2016 and it had taken him that long to get another shot at it.

Eggington was beaten in his last fight as well against Hassan Mwakinyo, getting sent to the canvas as early as the second round. That left Eggington’s record at 23-5. Prior to that, he had won the vacant IBF Continental super welterweight title. There’s a lot at stake for both to recover or even save their careers. It should be a great spectacle. Top bookmakers have 1/2 odds on Smith beating Eggington by a knockout on the weekend.

Always look for those bookmaker bonuses that can add a little extra to your online betting experience.

March 29, 2019

Can Italy Claim the Champions League?

There was a time when Italian football ruled Europe and the world. During the 1980s and early 1990s, if you were a top-class international footballer, Serie A is where you usually ended up. Some of the greatest players ever to grace a football pitch spent time playing in Italy, including Michel Platini (Juventus) Diego Maradona (Napoli) and Rudd Gullitt (Milan).

That dominance resulted in success at continental level too. Between 1983 and 1996, an Italian team featured in eight out of fourteen European Cup finals. Milan won it twice, Juventus twice, and there were also European Cup final appearances for Roma and Sampdoria.

But the dominance of Italian domestic football is a thing of the past. A series of scandals and the rise of the Premier League conspired to reduce broadcaster and advertising interest, and as the money drained out of Italian football, so the top players began to look elsewhere: to England or to Spain; to Bayern Munich or to big-spending Paris St-Germain. The last time an Italian club won the Champions League was in 2010, when Internazionale triumphed under Jose Mourinho, and only twice in the last eight seasons has an Italian team – Juventus – reached the final.

In fact, it is Juventus who have almost singlehandedly maintained the reputation of Italian football in European competition in recent years. This year, in addition to dominating domestically, they are once again through to the quarter-finals of the Champions League, where they will meet a dangerous Ajax side responsible for knocking out the defending champions Real Madrid.

There is, of course, a way to go yet before we can talk about Juventus winning in Europe. The last eight of the Champions League this year still includes most of the cream of European football, and it would be no surprise to see any of the remaining teams taking part in the final. English fans who are following the competition on BT Sport might even hope that they can witness and all-English final, given that they have four teams in the last eight. Manchester City are also the 9/4 favourites.

But Juventus, who have been so close to European glory in recent seasons, have an extra edge this time round, in the form of the man who has so often stood in their way in the Champions League. Ronaldo, while undoubtedly one of the greatest players ever, has often saved his best performances for European football, and has five Champions League winners’ medals to his name.

Of course, Juventus are not entirely representative of Italian domestic football’s strength. Having won Serie A for seven seasons in a row, they have opened up a considerable gap over the rest of Italian football. But there is no doubt that if they were to lift the Champions League trophy this season, it would be both a boost to Italian football and perhaps a catalyst for other clubs to raise their game and help to return Italian football to the summit in Europe. And with Ronaldo on their side, there will be plenty of Juventus fans checking out the best prices on their team in the weeks ahead.