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Best Bets of the Day – Friday, March 29th 2019

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West Brom v Birmingham
Championship – 8.00 pm
Sky Sports

A Midlands derby seems like a good place to start for the best bets of the day. This should be very interesting at the Hawthorns too. West Brom are on a push for promotion, and they have rolled their sleeves up in their last two matches to record back to back wins. That’s been a big boost after they only took one point from their previous three. They are shaping up well for a top four finish now.

Three points against Birmingham would help that even further and they are 5/6 odds-on favourite with leading bookmakers to earn them. The Baggies though have only managed one win in their last seven at the Hawthorns. They are at W8 D7 L4 for the season there now. With them having scored over two goals per home game on average, that record perhaps should have been higher.

But their defence has made just three home clean sheets all season. So will that allow Birmingham to get some crucial points on the board? A month ago they were pushing towards the play-off places. However, a tank in form (having lost their last four straight), combined with a 9-point deduction for breach of Financial Fair Play has left them just five points above the drop zone. Things like that can destroy morale or it can be something to rally around for better things. Which will it be for Birmingham who are 15/4 underdogs on Friday?

Hoffenheim v Bayer Leverkusen
Bundesliga – 7.30 pm
BT Sport

Leverkusen’s push for a top six finish continues on Friday night as they make the trip to Hoffenheim. Leverkusen have won six of their last eight league games so should show up and be a threat in this one. They have actually only won six times on the road this season. The fact that half of them have been earned in their last four away games shows where they are currently at. They have also tallied up an average of two goals per game this season on their travels. Their current away form combined with 7/4 odds for the match win will offer appeal to punters.

They did, however, take a hammering on home soil when they met Hoffenheim back at the start of November. It was a 4-1 win that Hoffenheim produced on the day over them. Die Kraichgau have been a tough side to beat this season. They have only lost two games since the middle of October last year in the Bundesliga. Their winning form isn’t hot though with only three in their last fifteen. They have drawn 10 of their last 15 matches. Hoffenheim’s home record is W5 D5 L3 and they are 13/10 favourites with leading bookies to win this fixture. Doing so would pull them to within one point of Friday’s opponents.

Sale v Connacht
European Challenge Cup Rugby – 7.45 pm
BT Sport

The knockout bracket in the European Challenge Cup starts on Friday night with this fixture at the AJ Bell Stadium, with Sale Sharks hosting Irish side Connacht. What makes this matchup interesting is that the two of them were together in the Pool Stage of the competition. There they both recorded 22 points from their six games. Sale topped the group in the head to head though.

Sale only actually posted a W4 L2 record in their six games, which wasn’t as good of a record as Connacht’s W5 L1. But Sale picked up a bonus point in each of their games which was the difference maker in the final standings. So what happened between the two in the Pool Stage? The first meeting was at the AJ Bell stadium with Sale taking a 34-14 win, only letting the visitors over for the one try in the fixture.

The Irish side did get the better of things back on home soil though, posting a narrow 20-18 victory over the Sharks. Sale are the 4/11 odds-on favourites to win this one. But given that they lost at home in the Pool Stage to Bordeaux while Connacht did win their other two away games, suggests that it could be a really close duel. As a nod towards that, the top bookmakers have a +7 handicap on Connacht to defend at 10/11.

It’s a big weekend of sports action, so find out what features in Bobby’s Big Weekend Bets!

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Premier League Darts Drama On Night Two in Rotterdam?

Rob Cross vs Jeffrey de Zwaan

It was an emotional first night in Rotterdam, as the Dutch double-header got underway last night. In truth, there was no bigger story than Raymond van Barneveld’s 7-1 loss to Daryl Gurney in front of his adoring public; Barney is now staring elimination down the barrel.

The unpredictability of this league reared its ugly head in the other fixtures, with Suljovic coming from way back to beat Cross and Wade stumbling to a draw against dancing Dimitri. Smith eased his elimination fears with an impressive win over Price, whereas MVG took Wright to the cleaners in a 7-1 demolition job.

In essence, the elimination of Barney last night may relaxing him for a proper farewell outing tonight against MVG. He’s got nothing but pride to play for, with a solid performance over the world champion all he can aim for.

What other drama can we expect on night two in Rotterdam?

Daryl Gurney vs Mensur Suljovic

Gurney silenced the Rotterdam crowd yesterday by relegating van Barneveld from the Premier League. With Suljovic also having a good win against an in-form Rob Cross it’s hard to side with either player here. A 6-6 draw could be on the cards.

Gurney 6-6 Suljovic @ 10/3 (BetVictor)

Peter Wright vs Gerwyn Price

Price is rightly favourite here with “Snakebite” looking way out of form. Wright struggled against van Gerwen yesterday averaging a disappointing 87 in a 7-1 defeat. Both players are desperate for a win to keep their play-off hopes alive. Price to seal a 7-3 win looks very good value if he can get off to a fast start.

Price 7-3 Wright @ 8/1 (BetVictor)

Rob Cross vs Jeffrey de Zwaan

Cross looked to be on his way to a comfortable win yesterday over Suljovic but somehow managed to throw away a 5-1 lead to eventually lose 7-5. He should bounce back here against ‘Contender’ Jeffrey de Zwann who will be nervous on his Premier League debut. A win inside 11.5 legs for “Voltage” is the call.

Under 10.5 legs @ 11/10 (BetVictor)

Raymond van Barneveld vs Michael van Gerwen

It will be an emotional night for van Barneveld playing his final Premier League match in front of his home crowd after being relegated from the league last night. Could he bow out with a win? hard to see it against MVG who returned to the top of the league last night. Expect something special in this one, a nine-darter or at least a 170 checkout could be on the cards.

170 finish in the match @ 7/1

James Wade vs Michael Smith

Smith removed the threat of relegation last night and with that pressure removed we could see him kick on and secure a place at the O2 in the playoffs. This won’t be easy though, “The Machine” has been solid in this year’s league and is always hard to beat. 7-5 either way is the tentative call.

Smith 7-5 Wade @ 11/2 (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 

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Big Bets Bobby’s Take on the Liam Smith vs Sam Eggington Fight!

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This weekend’s boxing action should all be focused around one man. Oleksandr Gvozdyk – the WBC light-heavyweight champion – makes the first defence of his strap at the 175-pounds limit in the early hours of Sunday morning, …

however, at 1/33 to record a victory, it’s a fight worth avoiding if we are looking to make a profit this weekend. Gvozdyk has a huge future in the division – definitely one to look out for, for all the boxing purists out there!

So what’s the alternative, I hear you ask?! Liverpool’s M&S Bank Arena welcomes a stacked card of better-matched boxing on Saturday night, the perfect antidote to last weekend’s lopsided event at London’s Copper Box Arena.

The headline fight is, in many ways, a strange blend of super-welterweight fighters. Former world champion Liam Smith looks to build his career again after suffering a damaging points loss over Jaime Munguia in Las Vegas, July last year. Sam Eggington’s career to date needs more than a few paragraphs to detail.

The 25-year-old admits getting into boxing to fight in the away corner as a journeyman, however, a string of victories and high-level performances have seen him climb the ranks in recent years, with notable losses continuing to stifle his natural talent. 5 losses, in total, all coming at different stages of his short career. The most recent was a second round stoppage against the un-fancied Hassan Mwakinyo in September last year; watching this fight will tell you everything you need to know about Sam Eggington’s style in the ring. ‘The Savage’ is a warrior. He walks onto fighters with his guard high, taking barrages of punches in order to land one. His left jab continues to fire even under the most overwhelming pressure, often to his detriment.

Eggington is drinking in the last chance saloon at the high-level. His record shows his limitations at anything beyond European level, and with Smith a classy-operator at a natural weight of 154-pounds, it’s hard to state a case for Eggington in Liverpool. Smith’s two defeats have come at the highest level. He dropped a ninth round KO loss to Canelo in 2016 in his only other loss besides that of Munguia.

Eggington’s narrative is hard to ignore. He’s arguably already achieved all that he wanted to in the sport, with journeyman aspirations well and truly superseded. His hunger may be questioned on Saturday night, with Smith looking to build towards another shot at world level – now under the promotion of Eddie Hearn.

Liam Smith to win by KO in rounds 1-6 @ 7/4 (BetFred)
Liam Smith to win by KO/TKO @ 1/2 (BetFred)

The undercard to this show will be one not to miss. Domestic rivals Scott Fitzgerald and Anthony Fowler lock horns at super-welterweight, with “Twitter-beef” over the last month adding fuel to this fire. Fitzgerald will come to fight, but Fowler is huge and powerful at the weight, with a stoppage win highly likely for the favourite.

David Price makes his return at heavyweight against Kash Ali, looking to revive his career having dropped three losses in his last five fights. The local-lad has now got six losses on his record, so can’t afford a further slip up against the unbeaten Ali. Price is heavily favoured by the bookies, and if there was one fight to have a small stake on the underdog, it’s this one. 4/1 for an Ali win is great value.

Check out the Hottest Boxing Odds now at BigBetBookmaker’s BIGGEST BETS OF THE DAY & BIG LIVE BETS NOW!

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Premier League Darts – Wednesday Night Fever Pitch in the Netherlands

Dimitri van den Bergh

The Darts Premier League hits fever pitch in the Netherlands this week, with two back-to-back events on Wednesday night and Thursday night coming from the Ahoy Arena in Rotterdam.

After being forced into a double-header in Rotterdam last year, the PDC have decided to stick with the successful format, allowing the herds of Dutch darting fans to soak up the atmosphere of two Premier League nights.

Berlin didn’t disappoint last Thursday, with van Barneveld’s first win of the campaign stealing the headlines at the close of play. This result, coupled with Daryl Gurney’s shock win over MVG, has tightened things up at the bottom of the table, with Barney, Smith, Gurney and Price all looking over their shoulders in the upcoming weeks.

Rob Cross is continuing to set the pace at the top of the standings having notched up his fourth straight win of the league phase. Voltage is playing some of the best darts on the tour at the moment, and will be confident in reaching Finals Night at the O2 Arena as the number one seed.

Wade and Suljovic are continuing to knock on the door at the top, with The Machine and Gentle both occupying playoff spots at the start of play on Wednesday.

So let’s look at Wednesday’s action as this mad 24 hours of darts gets underway:

Gerwyn Price vs Michael Smith

Michael Smith has been the shock of this year’s Premier League. His positioning at second bottom has kept him three points off the playoff spots, with Barney breathing down his neck. Bully Boy can beat anyone on his day, but is growing visibly annoyed in this competition. Price has lost his last two, but will roar back in Rotterdam.

Gerwyn Price to win @ 6/4 (BetVictor)

James Wade vs Dimitri van den Bergh

Dimitri will be dancing his way onto the oche in Rotterdam, but may find himself walking into the brick wall that is The Machine. Wade has fallen out of the top two, but will be reluctant to become the first player to lose to a ‘Contender’. Wade’s finishing game is too strong, with a win inside 11.5 legs a good shout.

James Wade to win @ 6/5 (BetVictor)

Rob Cross vs Mensur Suljovic

Cross is arguably the standout player on the tour at the moment, and more importantly, one of the only players that doesn’t become frustrated by Suljovic’s slow throwing arm. Both went deep into the weekend’s European Tour event, but Voltage should have enough to remain on the top of the pile.

Player to score the highest checkout – Mensur Suljovic @ 11/10 (BetVictor)

Peter Wright vs Michael van Gerwen

Michael van Gerwen’s 9-darter at the weekend underlined his natural ability – as if it was ever questioned. Wright is too unpredictable at the moment to get a win against his nemesis. MVG will be buoyed by the home support, and could rack up a fast victory. Under 10.5 legs provides value.

Michael van Gerwen 7-3 Peter Wright @ 5/1 (BetVictor)

Raymond van Barneveld vs Daryl Gurney

Barney is still in with a chance of avoiding being cut from the field come Judgement Night. This has turned into a real “4-pointer” to coin a football phrase, with both players desperate for a victory. The home support in Rotterdam may work against Barney; he’s often struggled when the pressure is on. Back a 6-6 draw, with Gurney the happier.

Raymond van Barneveld 6-6 Daryl Gurney @ 10/3 (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 

 

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Big Sporting Events: The Kentucky Derby

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The Kentucky Derby is a world-famous annual thoroughbred contest which is held in Louisville, Kentucky. It is traditionally held at the beginning of May, and is watched by millions of sports fans around the country. 

The race is the first leg of the ‘American Triple Crown’. The ultimate goal of any US-based thoroughbred is to clinch the Triple Crown, which also consists of the Preakness Stakes (end of May) and the Belmont Stakes (June).

It is a Grade 1 Stakes event which is open to three-year olds and is held over a mile and a quarter. It is often called the “the fastest two minutes in sport”, which alludes to the speed at the which the contest is competed. The current distance has been in place since 1896, when it was decreased from a mile and a half.

Qualification for the race is based on a points system. There are 20 positions available in the race, and points are accumulated through a number of graded races. One place is always offered to the winner of the Japan Road to the Kentucky Derby, and since 2018, another place will be offered to a European horse.

The Kentucky Derby is also called the “The Race for the Roses”. This owes to the prize which consists of 554 red roses and it is a tradition which has been in place since 1883.

It is the most-attended thoroughbred in the USA, with the crowd-size eclipsing both the Preakness and the Belmont. In 2017, there was an attendance of 158,070, which was the seventh biggest crowd in the history of the track.

It is one of the most wagered-on events on the US racing calendar, and attracts bets from punters all over the world. The track have recently reported an increase in wagering totals over the last couple of years.

Secretariat holds the record for the fastest run in the race back in 1973 which Ben A Jones is the most successful trainer in the contest – his last victory came in 1952. More recently, Justify became the first horse to win the Kentucky Derby since 1882 without having raced as a two-year old. Justify and American Pharoah are two recent winners of the US Triple Crown.

The event is usually shown on UK racing channels, and can also be streamed via bookmakers websites.

 

Why is the Kentucky Derby so Popular?

The Kentucky Derby has attracted some of the standout thoroughbred horses in the USA, and there are always plenty of big names lining up in Louisville. Similar to the Breeders Cup, it is one of the must-watch racing events on the calendar.

Like the Cheltenham or Aintree Festival, it attracts many passive horse racing fans who always tune in and have a wager on the biggest contests on the calendar, but wouldn’t watch it on a regular basis.

For attendees, it is a great day out. The weather is usually fairly pleasant, and there is plenty going on around the course.

With the addition of a Japanese and European horse, there is an extra incentive for viewers around the world to tune into the race.

 

What Betting Opportunities are Available?

There are copious betting opportunities available on the race itself. Ante-post markets are available throughout the majority of the year, and once the final field has been declared, the full market will be available with bookmakers.

It is also possible to wager on a horse to win the US Triple Crown.

All of the usual betting options such as forecast, tricast and each-way betting are also permitted on this iconic race.

 

Key Betting Markets

Race Winner – This is the simplest way of betting on the race. Punters are simply asked to predict which horse will pass the post first. Your chosen horse must be clear of the chasing pack, although some bookmakers will pay out in the event of a dead heat.

Each-Way – The Kentucky Derby is always a hugely competitive event, and with a 20-strong field, there are plenty of each-way betting opportunities. This is ideal for those who fancy a horse to run strongly at a bigger price. Most bookmakers will pay out at 1/5 of the odds. The majority of firms will also pay the first four places in the race, although if you shop around, five or six places can occasionally be unearthed.

Forecast – This is slightly trickier, but punters will be rewarded if they can predict the first two horses home in the contest. Straight forecasts will require bettors to correct predict the first two horses home (in THAT order), whilst reverse forcasts will allow some degree of flexibility. The latter allows the two chosen horses to finish in any order.

Tricast – Same as above, but with three horses. Huge payouts are available for anyone who correctly predicts the first three horses to finish the race.

Kentucky Derby/Kentucky Oaks Double – Some bookmakers offer enhanced doubles from across both of the major races in Louisville. Punters must correctly predict the winner of each contest.

To Win by … – This is particularly popular if there is a relatively short-priced favourite in the market. Punters can predict the market-leader to win by …X amounts of lengths in order to extract some value.

 

Bobby’s Big Betting Tips for the Kentucky Derby

Fast Finishers Tend to Fare Well – There have been a number of stagings of the race in which the eventual winner has been towards the back of the pack with just four furlings left to run. In 2009, 50-1 Mine that Bird was a particularly memorable winner, trailing the field by some distance until a late surge down the centre of the course clinched a famous upset. The commentator has barely mentioned this horse prior to it’s late show. If there is plenty of early pace in the contest, it is advised to look for horse who will finish strongly late, and a jockey who is savvy enough to conserve energy. The race is always run to a strong pace, and that does play into the hands of latecomers. Even if your chosen doesn’t win, it may pay to pick an each-way selection who does its best work late on.

Favourites Do Have a Good Record Here – Although we’ve seen a number of outsiders win over the years, the record of favourites in this race is fairly strong. Most market principles tend to run strongly, and they tend to be from big-name stables. If you can’t find any each-way value or simply can’t look past the horse at the top of the betting – don’t be afraid to back the favourite.

Two Year Old Form Shouldn’t be Dismissed – Many horses have been aimed at this race for a number of months, and they will have plenty of prep runs under their belt. However, things just don’t always play out as owners/trainers would want. If a horse has shown plenty of talent and desire as a two-year old, but struggled since turning three, they shouldn’t be completely dismissed. Some horses simply don’t enjoy particular tracks, whilst others were just drawn in the wrong stall. Pay attention to the two-year old form.

Look for Jockeys Who have Form in the Bigger Races – The last two winners of the Kentucky Derby were ridden by John Velazquez and Mike E Smith. Both riders are considered to be elite jockeys, and they have history in the bigger contests. Kent Desormeaux and Victor Espinoza are also recent winners in the big race. Always look for horses that are accompanied by jockeys who have form in these types of events. Even giving the horse an extra 1% can be enough to help guide it to victory.

 

Where Can I Watch the Kentucky Derby in the UK?

The Kentucky Derby is broadcast live on Sky Sports Racing and it is also available via many bookmaker’s websites. Most bookies will show the race in full for any punters who places a bet on the contest.

 

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BOBBY’S BEST WEEKEND BETTING EVENTS – 30TH-31ST MARCH

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Soccer – Premier League – Burnley vs Wolves

The first of this weekend’s big betting events comes from the Premier League, and it’s a must-win encounter for Sean Dyche’s side. It seems a while since we enjoyed a full Premier League fixture list, and this should be an entertaining 90 minutes in East Lancashire.

It’s been a poor season for Burnley, and for the first time, some fans are beginning to get on the back of manager Sean Dyche. The gravelling-voiced tactician came under fire after his side failed to capitalise on Leicester going down to ten men after just four minutes a fortnight ago. The Clarets lost 2-1 despite their man-advantage, and the fans registered their displeasure at the final whistle.

They are outside of the relegation zone, but there is a crucial home encounter with Cardiff on the horizon, and taking something from this game would just help ease the nerves ahead of that crucial clash on April 13th.

Wolves are an odd side, who always raise their game against the bigger opponents, but sometimes take their foot off the pedal against the league’s lesser lights, and Burnley will be hoping that Nuno’s side have an off-day this weekend. The Molineux outfit play some decent football, and Burnley could restrict them here. The hosts have netted in every single home match since October 28th, so they’re always competitive here, but they often make silly mistakes at the back.

The bookies have made Wolves favourites for this game, and I think that is sensible, but I wouldn’t write Burnley off in this fixture, and we should see plenty of goalmouth action at Turf Moor!

There is plenty on the line for Burnley, and Sean Dyche can not afford too many more poor results. The fans are losing patience, and their Premier League status is one the line. With that crucial home match coming up in two weeks time, Burnley must get something from this clash with their high-flying opponents.

UK viewers can enjoy this game and all other PL clashes on Sky Sports Match Choice on Saturday evening. 

 

Basketball – ACB – Ibostar Tenerife vs Real Madrid

We’re dipping into the ACB for our second big betting events this weekend. It’s week 25, and we’re heading towards the business end of the season. With the play-offs on the horizon, Ibostar Tenerife have hit a bad patch at exactly the wrong time, and they’ll be desperate to bounce back.

However, they face second place Real Madrid, who will be hurting from their El Classico defeat in round 24. They still have a tremendous record in the league, but they trail Barcelona by four points, and will be desperate to bridge that gap here. They will see this as the perfect opportunity to bounce back against an out-of-form opponent.

Ibostar Tenerife are clinging onto that final play-off spot, but Zaragoza and MoraBanc Andorra both picked up victories at the weekend, and they are breathing down their necks. They will be feeling the pressure.

Disappointingly, they were defeated by bottom club Gipuzkoa, who have suddenly started picking up points. It was a game that they should have been winning easily.

Having said that, this game is interesting because Tenerife’s last victory came against leaders Barcelona back in February. They have shown a propensity to upset the bigger sides, and therefore, they will be quietly confident of going toe-to-toe with Real Madrid.

Real Madrid are overwhelming favourites here, but anything can happen on the night, and Ibostar Tenerife could be dangerous opponents. With play-offs on the line, they may up the ante in this game.

It’s an intriguing clash which will have implications at the top of the table, and I can’t wait to see how it pans out.

Basketball fans can tune into every single ACB match through UK bookmakers streaming services. 

 

Soccer – Premier League – Brighton vs Southampton

The third of my big betting events is another Premier League clash which affects the bottom of the table. Brighton, who have been spiralling down the standings will face Southampton, who are slowly steering themselves away from the drop zone.

It’s been 21 days since Southampton were last in action, and they should be well-rested ahead of this clash. Ralph Hasenhuttl has made a terrific impact since arriving at the club, and the Austrian is slowly changing the culture at St.Marys. He’s making the most of the younger players in the squad, and its helping them slowly climb away from the bottom three. They’ve won each of their last two home games, and they gave Manchester United a scare at Old Trafford inbetween.

They have a number of talented players such as Nathan Redmond and Stuart Armstrong, but it’s the form of James Ward Prowse which has been catching the eye recently. The academy graduate could have a big say in this tie, and I expect him to be stood over any set-piece situations.

Brighton are five points clear of the drop zone, and they’ve probably done enough to save themselves, but they can’t afford to get complacent. Chris Hughton’s side have picked up six points from a possible six, including a popular victory (with their fans) against Brighton.

The Seagulls have some decent players in their squad, and shouldn’t be anywhere near the bottom three. They’re always stronger at home, and they will be determined to make it tough for their fellow-South Coast rivals. Understandably, they are the favourites for this clash. However, they’ve failed to beat Southampton in each of the last two meetings at the AMEX, and they’ll be determined to put that right this weekend.

It’s an intriguing clash between two sides who should be comfortably mid-table, and whichever side slips up here will be nervously glancing over their shoulders for the next couple of weeks.

UK viewers can enjoy this Premier League match on Sky Sports with Saturday evening’s Match Choice allowing viewers to choose their preferred game. 

 

Aussie Rules – AFL – Geelong Cats vs Melbourne

The new AFL season got underway last weekend, and it’s great to have it back! Geelong Cats were expected to be involved in the play-off race once again, and they got off to the perfect start against Collingwood. Their round 2 match against Melbourne is the fourth of my big betting events for this weekend.

The Cats have a terrific squad, and it was the veteran Tom Hawkins who helped turn the game on its head last week. He clocked up yet another milestone by kicking his 500th goal, and it won’t be the last time we see the forward as the star of the show. Patrick Dangerfield was excellent as always whilst Gary Ablett, at 34-years of age used his year’s of experience to good effect. Debutantes Jordan Clark and Tom Atkins impressed enough to continue their tenure in the side.

There is plenty of expectation surrounding Geelong this season, and the fans will be expecting their side to clock up back-to-back wins. They always tend to start well and have won 11 of their last 14 opening day fixtures, but they don’t tend to be able to sustain their winning sequences. Twelve months ago, they followed up their opening win with back-to-back defeats in rounds 2 and 3, and fans will be hoping to see some consistency this time around.

They are odds-on favourites for this clash, understandably so. But some punters may wonder whether they can be trusted?

Melbourne Demons got off to a poor start with a low-key defeat against Port Adelaide Power, and they will be keen to make amends. After losing both games in the JLT Community Series, it’s been a woeful opening few weeks, and they look there for the taking. However, they did beat this opposition in September.

They do have a poor record when visiting Geelong, and it’ll be interesting to see whether the Cats can make it successive victories at the start of the season.

BT Sport will have coverage throughout the AFL season, and UK viewers can enjoy highlights of this game at the weekend. 

 

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, March 24th 2019

Wales v Slovakia
Euro 2020 Qualifiers – 2.00 pm
Sky Sports

Wales start their Euro 2020 Qualification campaign with a home game against Slovakia on the weekend. They warmed up for this with a home win over Trinidad & Tobago in midweek, a game which Wales won 1-0. The Dragons rested Gareth Bale for that. That midweek win is just one of two that Wales have recorded in their last six games played, losing the other four in that sequence.

In the Nations League, they finished second behind Denmark, leaving Ireland to take the relegation drop. Wales have lost two of their last three home games. Those were a Nation’s League game against Denmark and a friendly against Spain. Slovakia finished bottom of their Nations League group behind Ukraine and Czech Republic. They have suffered three losses in their last five (W1 D1). Slovakia lost their one previous visit to Wales back in the Euro 2018 qualifiers. The two met at Euro 2016 with Wales winning 2-1. The Welsh are 11/10 to edge this one at home with leading bookies.

Exeter v Bath
Premiership Rugby – 3.00 pm
BT Sport

League leaders Exeter will be looking to further strengthen their position in the title race. They head into the weekend with an eight-point lead over Saracens, the form of their title rivals having fallen away substantially. The Chiefs themselves are now on a three-match winning streak since a loss against Gloucester back in round 13. So they have recovered well and it has been over a year since they lost at home in the league. The Chiefs are 1/5 odds-on with leading bookmarks to win this fixture.

Exeter are on a four-match winning streak against Bath in the league as well. The Chiefs took a big 42-29 win over them the last time that they visited. Bath are W2 L2 in their last four Premiership fixtures, but they showed up big time in the last round of action. They produced an 18-9 home win over Saracens, which did Exeter in turn, a huge favour. So can Bath raise their game again? Leading bookmakers have them at 10/11 to cover a +11 point handicap.

San Marino v Scotland
Euro 2020 Qualifiers – 3.00pm
Sky Sports

There was a perception that Scotland’s loss in Israel during the 2018 Nations League was about as bad as it gets. It wasn’t. The Scots went to Kazakhstan on Thursday night to start their Euro 2020 qualification campaign, keenly looking to get some early positive momentum going. It didn’t happen as they found themselves 2-0 down inside ten minutes. Scotland tamely crumbled away to a 3-0 defeat. That was against the side ranked 117th in the world. That’s 67 places beneath Scotland. That was Kazakhstan’s fifth win in their last 38 competitive home matches.

Where Scotland turn to next after being second best in all departments in that game, remains a mystery. They do have to rally themselves quickly as they visit San Marino on Sunday. This was just about the easiest start to Scotland’s qualification campaign that they could have made. But now huge pressure is on them. San Marino lost 5-0 in Cyprus in their qualification opener on Thursday. Scotland are still fully expected to win this. They are P4 W4 without conceding against San Marino in the head to head. Both of Scotland’s previous visits there produced 2-0 wins. Leading bookmakers have priced up 6/1 for a repeat of that in the correct score market. There is going to be some interesting best bets of the day going on in this match.

Netherlands v Germany
Euro 2020 Qualifying – 7.45 pm
Sky Sports

This is going to be a big highlight of Sunday’s Euro 2020 qualifiers. Germany had a nightmare in the Nations League. They failed to win any of their four games against the Netherlands and France. During that campaign, they suffered a big 3-0 reverse out in Amsterdam. So Germany will be fully aware of what is waiting for them as they make a quick return there. The Netherlands are 7/4 with leading bookmakers to produce a repeat home win.

In the other game between these two in the Nations League, the Dutch picked up a good point in a 0-0 draw away from home against Die Mannschaft. Germany have only taken two wins in their last eight games now and remember they failed to get out of their group at the 2018 World Cup. The Netherlands meanwhile are on the up with just one reverse in their last nine games. In their last four games, they have faced Germany twice, have beaten France and drawn with Belgium. They took a good W2 D2 record from that sequence.

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