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BOBBY’S BEST WEEKEND BETTING EVENTS – 16TH-17TH MARCH

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Soccer – Premier League – Burnley vs Leicester

With the FA Cup taking centre stage this weekend, there is a reduced card in the Premier League, but this is very important clash at Turf Moor, and it’s a fascinating betting heat. It may not be the glamour tie of the weekend, but there is plenty at stake for the hosts, and that’s why its the first of my big betting events. 

Burnley are slowly starting to slip towards the trap door, and fans are understandably getting worried. Luckily for the Clarets, Huddersfield and Fulham are all but relegated, which leaves just one place up for grabs.

With Newcastle and Southampton showing some signs of life, and Cardiff picking up three points against West Ham at the weekend, it has brought everybody closer together at the bottom. Just five points separate 18th place Cardiff and Crystal Palace in 14th. With games against Manchester City, Arsenal, Chelsea and Wolves to come, this is a must-win home game for Sean Dyche’s men.

However, having said that, Leicester are now upwardly mobile under Brendan Rodgers, which throws a spanner in the works. Jamie Vardy is clearly enjoying life under the former Liverpool boss, and they will fancy their chances of making it back-to-back top flight victories here.

Burnley have only kept one home clean sheet this side of Boxing Day, and they will need to be at their absolute best to keep the Foxes off the score-sheet.

This is such an interesting betting event, and it’ll be interesting to see which approach Burnley take. Will the Clarets keep it tight, and hope to nick a goal? Or will the home crowd urge them to get it forward at every opportunity?

Leicester are likely to play on the front foot, and although their season is petering out into a midtable finish, Rodgers will already be planning for next season, and the players will be desperate to impress.

UK Soccer fans can watch this match on Sky Sports Match Choice on Saturday evening. 

Rugby Union – Six Nations – England vs Scotland

The Six Nations reaches its conclusion with the Calcutta Cup this weekend, and it’s set to be another full-throttle clash between these two old rivals.

Eddie Jones’ men can still win the title, and will be hoping that Wales slip up against Ireland, but they mustn’t take their eye off the ball here. Although they lost to Scotland twelve months ago, they have a fantastic record at Twickenham against Gregor Townsend’s men. 1983 was the last time that Scotland were able to leave the capital with a victory, and their recent form suggests they may have to wait a little longer.

England will already know the outcome of the Wales vs Ireland match by the time they take to the field on Saturday afternoon, and that could create carnival atmosphere inside the West London stadium.

Jones said he will be solely focused on avenging last year’s defeat, and won’t be thinking about the destination of the title.

Scotland’s sole victory in the 2019 Six Nations came against Italy, who sit rock-bottom of the standings, and they have made some sloppy errors throughout the tournament.

This is a fascinating betting heat, and I personally am going to wait until just before kick-off to place my wagers. There could be such a big swing in the betting depending on Wales’ result, and I fancy taking advantage of the market changes. I also believe that it will depend on the mindset of the players.

England are heavily fancied to win this clash, but it could get nervy, and there may be some scope to have a look at Scotland on the handicaps.

It’s going to be a gripping end to the tournament, and I can’t wait to take in all of the action on Saturday afternoon. Scotland potentially stand in the way of England’s title triumph, and it could be a historic afternoon at Twickenham.

This Six Nations match will be broadcast live on ITV1 on Saturday afternoon and STV in Scotland. 

Soccer – FA Cup – Millwall vs Brighton

My third big betting event comes from the FA Cup with giantkillers Millwall taking on Brighton at the Den.

Millwall have been thoroughly entertaining in this year’s competition, and their last minute winner against Everton prompted mass celebrations around the Bermondsey area. The Lions are very effective from set-pieces, and the towering Jake Cooper will provide a stern test for Lewis Dunk and Shane Duffy all afternoon.

What makes this tie interesting is that Millwall are also battling relegation in the Championship, and Neil Harris’ men have struggled in recent weeks. Their potentially-damaging defeat to Bolton didn’t go down well with fans, and the supporters may see this tie as some much-needed light relief.

Brighton look like the ideal opponents with Chris Hughton’s side struggling for form in the top flight. They did pick up a precious three points at their arch-rivals Crystal Palace at the weekend, but victories have been few and far between of late.

The south coast club are still not clear of danger themselves, and they will want to avoid the ignomy of slipping out of the PL this season. Personally, I think they’ll have enough to stay up, but they can’t afford to get too distracted by this competition.

Only four sides have won at this ground in the FA Cup since the club moved, with Everton, Bournemouth and Leicester all crashing out of the competition here. Brighton cannot afford to take this tie lightly.

The Seagulls do have a good record at this ground, and have picked up seven points from a possible nine here.

This Sunday afternoon fixture list is not going to be the prettiest on the eye, but it’s going to be a fascinating match-up and the bookmakers are struggling to decide which way this one will swing.

This game will be broadcast live on BBC1 on Sunday afternoon 

Rugby – Six Nations – Wales vs Ireland

My final big betting event also comes courtesy of the final Six Nations weekend, and this tie could potentially make the England vs Scotland game a dead rubber.

The bookies have made Wales the favourites for this game, and they are expected to secure their title on home soil. Warren Gatland will be aiming to go out on a high, and will be hoping to end his tenure with some silverware.

They emerged from the Scotland game battered and bruised, and there are a few injury doubts ahead of this crucial tie. Liam Williams is the major doubt for this weekend’s game, and Gatland will be hoping his shoulder problem isn’t too serious.

Ireland had a terrific 2018, but they’ve failed to fire on all cylinders during this tournament, however Joe Schmidt’s men should never be written off! Time and time again, I’ve seen them enter a game unfancied, but defy those expectations, and that makes them dangerous opposition here.

Having said that, I’ve been hugely impressed by Wales’ defence, and they will make it hard for Ireland to find a way through.

There should also be a terrific atmosphere percolating around the Principality Stadium, and with the roof likely to be closed, that should help the home players.

This game will affect the subsequent match, and failure to win here could make the title race extremely complicated. It’s going to be a fascinating tie, and there are going to be plenty of nerves around Cardiff this week. I can’t wait to sit down and watch this game unfold. The destination of the Six Nations will be determined this weekend, and it’s going to full of drama and excitement once again.

Six Nations fans can enjoy all of the action from the Principality Stadium across the BBC on Saturday afternoon

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

 

 

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Big Betting Sporting Events: World Snooker Championship

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The World Championships is the highlight of the snooker calendar, and success in the event is often seen as the ultimate goal for the large majority of professional players.

It is the number one tournsament in terms of prize money and prestige, and is competed on annual basis, usually at the end of April. Since 1977, it’s been staged at the legendary Crucible Theatre in Sheffield, and is scheduled to remain at the iconic venue until at least 2027.

The tournament is staged over 17 days, and is one of many ranking events on the calendar.

The format of the tournament has remained unchanged for many years, with 32 players entering the event, although only 16 will get the chance to play in the tournament proper. The World Championships begins with the qualifying stages, and this often leads to relative unknowns and wildcards making it through to the main draw.

The top 16 players gain direct entry to the main event, with the reigning champion assigned number 1 seed. The games are split into two sessions, and are played in a best-of-19 frames format. This is extended to a best-of-25 frame format in the second round.

Once the tournament is whittled down to just four players, it is competed in a best-of-33 frames, with an additional two frames added for the final.

The tournament has understandably attraced a number of household names in recent years, with Stephen Hendry still the most successful player of the modern era, with seven titles, and two runner-up medals. He also plundered three 147s during his time at the crucible.

Steve Davis managed six titles in the World Championships, making thirty appearances in total with Ray Reardon acheiving the same feat in just 19 outings.

Ronnie O’Sullivan,  John Higgins and Mark Williams are the next best performers in the tournament, and as of 2019, they are still going strong on the circuit.

No first time world champion has managed to retain their title the following year since 1977, and this is often referred to as the “crucible curse”.

Where and When?

The World Snooker Championship are staged at the end of April, and are scheduled to finish on the first Bank Holiday Monday of May. It has been held at the Crucible Theatre in Sheffield since 1977.

Why is the World Championship so Popular?

The World Championship is the ultimate test of skill, stamina and character, and with such a significant prize purse available, it is always a suitably competitive showdown. Players will prepare for this event extensively, and with the top 16 players in the world automatically gaining entry to the competitions, it’s the perfect chance to see a number of household names going head-to-head.

The World Championship is also broadcast on terrestrial tv in the UK, with extensive coverage easy to locate.

What Betting Opportunities are Available?

The World Championship is always a significant betting event, with punters able to enjoy an ante-post wager, or an in-play bet.

There are always a significant number of betting markets available throughout the event, and it is the most-wagered on snooker competition in the world.

Key Betting Markets

Tournament Winner – By far the simplest of all markets, but easily the most popular. This is the chance to predict which player will lift the trophy at the crucible, and come out on top. Each way betting is available, and this will pay out if your player makes the final. Pre-tournament, there are hundreds of players in the ante-post betting, but this will be significantly whittled down once the qualifying process gets underway. Reigning champions often begin the following year in the top three of four of the betting.

To Reach the Final – Although each-way betting is available, it would only pay-out at 1/2 the odds, so this market is a much better way of finding value. Some players routinely reach the last four, but often fall short at the final hurdle, and this market acts as a safety net for that eventuality.

To Reach the Semi-Finals/Quarter-Finals – Same above, but with more prohibitive odds available on top players to reach the final eight of the competition.

1st/2nd/3rd/4th Quarter Betting – With the top 16 players automatically gaining entry to the competition, these will be drawn ahead of the tournament, and separated into quarters. The semi-final will consist of the four top players in each quarter. Punters are able to predict which competitor will finish top of their respective quarter.

Match Winner – Once the final field has been decided and the draw has been made, each match will be priced up by the bookmakers. This market is simply a case of which players will be victorious in their respective match-up. Odds can often be fairly prohibitive during the first couple of rounds with established expected to beat qualifiers.

Will There be A 147? – As simple as it sounds. 147s are not particularly common, but the top players have been known to do this at the World Championships. Big prices are available for anyone who correctly predicts this.

Frame Handicap – This is ideal for one-sided matches. If Ronnie O’Sullivan is up against a qualifier, punters can predict that he will win comfortably. This comes in the shape of the frame handicap. -7.5 frames would require the Rocket to finish the game eight frames clear of his opponent. As the tournament progress, these handicap markets become smaller.

To Win their Mini-Session – As previously mentioned, these games are separated into mini-sessions with morning, afternoon or evening play scheduled at the Crucible. The bookies offer odds on each player to be ahead at the end of each mini-session.

Total Centuries Market – How many centuries will be scored during the course of the match? This is often difficult to determine, but it gives the punter an outlet without having to correct predict the outcome of the contest.

Total Frames – Another decent way of betting without having to decide which player will progress to the next round. One-sided matches will often be contested over fewer frames than closely-contested competitive affairs. This is a decent option for cagey, trappy contests. The bookmaker will set the line ahead of the match, but this will alter throughout the game.

To Win the Next Frame – This is usually a decent in-play option with punters getting the opportunity to predict which of the two players will be victorious in the upcoming frame. The player who breaks is usually heavily odds-on for this.

Bobby’s Big Betting Tips for the World Championship

Crucial Crucible Form – The Crucible is a superb venue, and a great place to visit for Snooker fans, but it does have the ability to help and hinder particular players. Psychology plays a huge part in solo pursuits, and established veterans tend to play the occasion better than up-and-comers. Players like Barry Hawkins aren’t neccessarily a good bet to reach the final, but he does have a superb record at this venue. On the contrary, players who have recorded victories elsewhere can often struggle to find their groove on the big occasion. Always study previous records at this tournament before committing to a wager.

Head to Head – As with all solo sports, there is often a head-to-head bias. Some players just can’t cope with their opponents, and they should be opposed. Who has the stronger mindset? Has this player lost to his opponent at this venue previously? These are questions that need to be answered. Some players cannot cope with the antics of Ronnie O’Sullivan, whilst others just simply block it out.

Explore Other Markets – With this event being the pinnacle, and also being sponsored by bookmakers, there are always hundreds of different markets available at any given time. This is often in the punters interest. Traders will be keeping across these odds, but some of the lesser markets may be created by algorithms, and if you’re following the game, and can see an opening, take it! You don’t have to just stick to traditional outrights/handicap markets.

Cream Always Rises to the Top – First timers or qualifiers often establish a bit of momentum, and their tailwind can often see them through the first couple of rounds, but they are unlikely to sustain it. The World Championship is relentless, and the games come thick and fast. With just one table used for the latter stages, it can often lead to plenty of thinking time, and that isn’t always neccessarily a good thing for inexperienced players.

Where Can I watch the Snooker World Championships in the UK?

The tournament is broadcast across two different platforms with both the BBC and Eurosport sharing the rights to the event. There is often additional content on their online channels, and they both can boast an array of expert pundits.

 

 

 

 

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Euro 2020 Qualification Preview

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The Euro 2020 qualifying action all begins on the next international break in mid-March. The qualification process for the tournament lasts a year with things being tied up in a nice bundle in March 2020. It is a shorter time period of qualifying because it would normally have started back towards the end of 2018.

But things have been shaken up a little bit because now the qualification for the European Championships is tied into the UEFA Nations League. The UEFA Nations League, which was played last year (and still has the finals of it to come), will give countries a backdoor chance at reaching the 2020 European Championships.

55 teams in total start the European Championship 2020 qualifiers and for the first time ever Kosovo will be taking part.

Qualification Set Up

It is still a straightforward qualification process in the actual Euro 2020 qualifiers. There are ten groups of either five or six teams taking part. From that, the top two of each of the round-robin groups will actually take one of the twenty-four spots at the European Championships 2020.

That leaves four spots up for grabs. They will be filled from one of the nations from each of the four leagues in the UEFA Nations League. Each league will have its own mini-playoff tournament involving the highest ranked teams who have not already qualified automatically for Euro 2020.

Group A
England, Czech Republic, Bulgaria, Montenegro, Kosovo

England, who are in the finals of the UEFA Nations League will be kicking off their qualification at home on March 22nd, when they face up to the Czech Republic. The Three Lions have been a firm old hand at getting through qualification campaigns to reach major tournaments. They are 1/8 odds-on favourite with top bookies to win this group. It’s easy to see why. The real race is going to be behind them for the second spot. It could be a really interesting battle between the Czech Republic and Montenegro, both of whom finished third in their respective World Cup 2018 qualifying groups.

Group B
Portugal, Ukraine, Serbia, Lithuania, Luxembourg

This is one of the more challenging groups for sure in terms of the top two spots. There should be a serious three-way tussle between reigning European champions Portugal, Ukraine and Serbia. Yes, even though Portugal are the reigning champions, there is no automatic spot at next summer’s tournament for them. They have to earn their spot. Portugal played the UEFA Nations League without Cristiano Ronaldo. How much will he be involved in this? Ukraine look a sizeable dark horse at 10/3 to get the group win. Serbia, who won their World Cup 2018 qualifying group are not going to be a pushover either. Definitely, a group to watch.

Group C
Netherlands, Germany, Northern Ireland, Estonia, Belarus

With the Netherlands clearly on the rise after their performances at the UEFA Nations League, that has made this group all the more interesting. The Dutch are 6/4 second-favourites to top this qualification group. Germany are favourites. The other factor in this group is just how Germans are going to shape up. They had a horror-show of a World Cup 2018 and finished bottom (going winless in four) in their UEFA Nations League group which contained France and yes, the Netherlands. Northern Ireland had a very poor Nations League, not earning a single point and could have a big struggle to muscle their way into the top two here.

Group D
Switzerland, Denmark, Ireland, Georgia, Gibraltar

Switzerland were excellent through their World Cup 2018 qualification campaign and they didn’t do so badly in the Nations League actually. The Swiss topped their Nations League group ahead of Belgium. So they are the clear front runners here in Group D with leading bookmakers putting them at 10/11 favourites. Denmark broke Irish hearts in their World Cup 2018 qualification play-off tie. They were also paired up in last year’s Nations League with the Danes winning the group, but the Irish took back to back 0-0 draws against them.

Group E
Croatia, Wales, Slovakia, Hungary, Azerbaijan

Croatia will be the clear front runners to win the group here. It will be fascinating to see if they can build on that success or if they were punching so far above their weight at Russia 2018 that their heightened expectations are going to be difficult for them to meet. Croatia finished bottom behind England and Spain in their Nations League group. But they should be comfortable in this group, with Wales the most likely of the other challengers to get through alongside them.

Group F
Spain, Sweden, Norway, Romania, Malta, Faroe Islands

The Spaniards are the red-hot favourites at 2/7 odds-on to win Group F in Euro 2020 qualifiers. They are looking for better after a disappointing 2018 World Cup and after missing out on the Nations League finals. There could be a really good duel between Norway and Sweden to join them in landing an automatic qualification spot at Euro 2020.

Group G
Poland, Austria, Israel, Slovenia, Macedonia, Latvia

What we have going on here is likely to be a routine qualification process secured by Poland and Austria. They are both decent teams when it comes to qualification for major tournaments, or at least have been recently. There does not immediately appear to be enough in the challenges behind them to stop them both getting through.

Group H
France, Turkey, Iceland, Albania, Moldova, Andorra

World Champions France are the ones to catch here and it’s highly debatable as to whether or not anyone in this qualification group is going to be able to do so. Iceland seem to have slid backwards from their huge success on the Euro 2016 scene. Turkey fell a little bit flat in their World Cup 2018 qualification campaign and at the Nations League. It could be an exciting chase behind France.

Group I
Belgium, Russia, Scotland, Cyprus, Kazakhstan, San Marino

After such stunning form over the last couple of years, there’s no surprise that Belgium are the favourites to win Group I of Euro 2020 qualification. They are at odds-on to do so. Scotland are going to be involved in a big challenge in this one to fight their way to a top-two spot. Russia, who have had a good twelve months or so, are the ones who are the shortest-priced to land the other qualification spot.

Group J
Italy, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Final, Greece, Armenia, Liechtenstein

The Italians are going through something of a rebuild after their huge failure to reach the last World Cup. That devastated the nation. The Azzurri are odds-on favourites to end up in the top spot at the end of the Group J campaign. They have landed themselves in a very favourable group here at least, from which they should book qualification. The question here is going to be whether or not the likes of Finland or Greece are going to be able to do enough to challenge Bosnia for that second qualification place in Group J.

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Best Bets of the Day – Sunday, March 10th 2019

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Harlequins v Gloucester
Premiership Rugby – 1.00 pm
BT Sport

It’s going to be tough to not stay glued to the TV all weekend. I’ll start the Sunday best bets of the day preview with a look at this huge Premiership Rugby clash. It will be third-placed Harlequins taking on fourth-placed Gloucester, with seven points separating the two of them. Home advantage counts for a lot in rugby and the Quins are 8/13 odds-on favourites with the top bookmakers to win this.

They have the form with a five-match winning streak in the Premiership going. They are unbeaten now at the Stoop as well since early October. Another factor in favour of the Quins is that they have lost only one of their last five against Gloucester. But while Gloucester have yet to win an away game since the turn of the new year, they have beaten the top two of Exeter and Saracens in recent league action. If the Cherry & Whites can find that form at the Stoop on the weekend, they could be in this.

Chelsea v Wolves
Premier League – 2:05 pm
Sky Sports

It’s off to Stamford bridge for an interesting Premier League fixture on Sunday afternoon. Earlier this season the Blues paid a visit to Wolves and left with their tails between their legs in a 2-1 loss. Will Chelsea be able to exact some revenge back on home soil against them on the weekend? The Blues are 11/20 odds on with leading bookmakers to take all three points from the game. Chelsea do have some home form with only one defeat at the Bridge all season in the league. They have conceded just two goals in their last eight EPL home fixtures.

But Wolves have only lost one of their six away games this season against teams currently in the top ten. That lone defeat was at Manchester City when Wolves played two-thirds of the game with just ten men. With just the one defeat in their last seven games home and away in the top flight, and with them having scored in all but one of those seven, there is every reason to expect Wolves to turn up and challenge. This may well end up being a tighter game than expected. Could Wolves be one of the best bets of the day as 6/1 underdogs to pull off another upset against the Blues?

Ireland v France
Six Nations – 3.00 pm
ITV

It has been steady progress forward from Ireland after having lost their Championship opener against England. They responded to their setback in Dublin by posting a superbly controlled 22-13 success at Murrayfield over Scotland. They then recorded a 26-16 win in Rome last time out over Italy. Granted it wasn’t the greatest of performances from the Irish, but they were never in danger of not winning the match really. The bonus point earned helped keep them within two points of Championship leader Wales heading into the weekend.

The Irish are strong odds-on favourites with the top bookmakers in this one back on home soil against France. The French have not looked anywhere near being a cohesive unit. They did manage a win at home over Scotland in their last fixture, their first victory of the tournament. But as a whole, they have looked defensively fragile. It is going to take something very special from them on Sunday to upset the men in green. Such is the favouritism on Ireland the French are at even money to defend a +14 handicap with top bookies.

Arsenal v Manchester United
Premier League – 4.30 pm
Sky Sports

If the great rivalry between these two giants of English football was not enough, then the three points in this one are highly precious for both of them. That is because there is just one point separating them in the race for a top-four finish. A four-way race between Spurs, Man Utd, Arsenal and Chelsea for two spots is what is going on at the moment. So there is little margin for error. There was a 2-2 draw between these at Old Trafford earlier this season. This rematch has the look of goals about it too.

Arsenal average 2.3 goals per home game this season and the Gunners have won eight consecutive home fixtures in the top flight. That’s some powerful form laid down. But how will it stack up against the six-match winning sequence that Manchester United have put together on the road? The Red Devils have averaged two goals per away game this season. This should be a mighty battle at the Emirates. Will either crack? Will the draw at 13/5 odds that the top bookmarks have out there, be one of the best bets of the day? There’s so much at stake, here’s hoping that attacks deliver the entertainment.

Sunday delivers another tremendous amount of sporting activities to enjoy, so keep up to speed with the latest live bets!

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Best Bets of the Day – Saturday, March 9th 2019

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Crystal Palace v Brighton
Premier League – 12.30 pm
Sky Sports

There is plenty to get through on this busy Saturday of action. I’ll start at Selhurst Park in the Premier League where Crystal Palace are hosting Brighton. The Eagles have only lost one of their last six league games. Their solid form sees them go as odds-on favourites at 5/6 with leading bookmakers for this one.

That having been said though, they have a poor home record of only three wins this season (D4 L7). Brighton slid down the table with two points only earned from a run of seven games. They arrested their big winless streak of form with a slender 1-0 home win over Huddersfield last weekend. They have been weak on the road though with only one point earned in their last six away games. The Seagulls are 4/1 underdogs for what would be a huge three points.

Scotland v Wales
Six Nations Rugby – 2.15 pm
BBC

If Wales can collect a victory at Murrayfield on Saturday then they would take a huge stride towards winning the Championship this year. Last time out they took a telling win on home soil against the visiting English. England went into the game with a perfect record in this season’s Championship. So that was such a big game in the context of where the title could be heading this year. Wales came out on top and now have to follow it up with a trip to Scotland.

Wales are 8/15 odds-on with top bookmakers to claim the away win against the Scots, who have fallen a bit flat this season. After so many positives in their last campaign, Scotland seemed to take a huge step back in their loss at France in their last game. That followed a home loss against Ireland. Two years ago when Scotland last hosted the Welsh, the Scots raised the Murrayfield roof with a 29-13 home success. However, that is the only victory that they have taken in their last ten against Wales. Will the Scots, the 17/10 underdogs, be able to shake off some disappointing form and stop Wales in their title challenge?

Southampton v Spurs
Premier League – 3.00 pm
BT Sport

This should be a really engaging game from the Premier League on Saturday afternoon. Southampton have to rally themselves for a big home performance in this one as they look nervously over their shoulder at the drop zone. The Saints have won two of their last four at St Mary’s (D1 L1) and need to bolster that home form. At this stage of the season, every point is crucial in trying to maintain their top-flight status.

The Saints are 7/2 outright underdogs for the game with top bookies, but this may not be a bad time for them to be facing Spurs. Tottenham have earned only one point from the last nine available to them, having seen their title challenge fall away. Spurs have lost their last two road games (Burnley and Chelsea) without scoring. The Lilywhites head to the south coast as 17/20 favourites, but can they shake off that dip in away form?

England v Italy
Six nations Rugby – 4.45 pm
ITV

This is going to look much more cut and dry of an outcome than in the day’s Scotland v Wales match up. England were shut down in Cardiff last time out, throwing a spanner in the works of their title challenge. The Six Nations title could still be on for England though, with Wales still having to face Scotland and Ireland. This is one of those games where England are such overwhelming favourites to claim the victory, that punters will have to take a pass in the match outright.

Given that Italy are lined up for the wooden spoon once again in the Championship, this looks as if it is going to be a chance for England to run up a big score. A big win for the Red Rose is expected and an England -32 handicap is at even money with top bookmakers. That just highlights how easy this is expected to be for the home side. Four of England’s last five wins over Italy in the Championship have been by a margin of at least 30 points. The one exception saw them take a 21 point margin win. There should be value for the best bets of the day in taking on the handicap market in a game like this.

Man City v Watford
Premier League – 5.30 pm
BT Sport

Manchester City will resume their Premier League title challenge on Saturday evening with a home game against Watford. The Citizens have now strung together a powerful five-match winning streak in the top flight. With a win in all but one of their home games this season, it’s little surprise that the bookmakers have marked them up as short as 1/6 odds-on favourites for this fixture.

There is the matter of Manchester City currently being on a nine-match winning streak against the Hornets as well. But they will be facing a Watford side who do have a little bit of wind in their sails. They have won three of their last four top-flight games. The one defeat in that sequence did happen in their last away game though. That was a brutal 5-0 hammering at Anfield against Liverpool. But the question is, will Watford have learned serious lessons from that hefty loss, enough to perhaps frustrate the Citizens?

If you are big bettor then it worth taking a look at where you can get the best services for your online action!

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Best Bets of the Day – Friday, March 8th 2019

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Norwich v Swansea
Championship – 7.45 pm
Sky Sports

Championship leaders Norwich have the chance to open up a five-point lead at the top of the table on Friday night. The Canaries are 7/10 favourites with leading bookmakers to get the victory. They have been in some pretty strong form it is worth noting. Norwich have won five of their last six league games and three of their last four on home soil as well (D1).

For a team that are averaging over two goals per home game this season, of course the Canaries are likely to be a tremendous threat in this one. They have suffered just the four home defeats in seventeen games this season and three of those were against current top-seven sides. Friday’s opponents Swansea are down in the bottom half of the table.

Are Swansea likely to turn up and nullify the big threat that the Canaries carry in attack? It’s going to be a tough job for them, but Swansea have been fairly decent in defence away from home. They have only conceded an average of slightly over a goal per away game  in the Championship. They don’t exactly carry away winning form though. The Swans have lost each of their last three on their travels. But they are not a side who gets blown out of the water, so can they churn out a big defensive effort to avoid defeat at the very least?

Juventus v Udinese
Serie A – 7.30 pm
Premier Sports

The Old Lady completed the league double for the season over Napoli last weekend. Napoli are the closest challengers to Juventus in the title race. How close, well sixteen points now separate the top two, which is just ridiculous. Juventus could switch off for the rest of the season and just coast to the finish line. But they aren’t going to do that of course and they are strong odds-on favourites to win on Friday night against Udinese.

Juventus remain undefeated for the league campaign with a W23 D3 record. Was this really a new challenge for Cristiano Ronaldo? It’s all been a bit of a stroll in the park for him really since his timely move away from Real Madrid. He has five goals in his last four home games for Juventus. Not bad going. Where do you look for betting options in games like this where the home side is such a strong favourite? It has be on markets like Both Teams To Score or To Win To Nil.

For example, Udinese haven’t scored in any of their last five away games in the Italian top flight. Juventus to win to nil sees an 11/10 option with leading bookmakers, whereas Juve are 4/11 in the match outright. It’s weighing up options like that. Are Udinese likely to cause an upset? With a W1 D4 L6 record away from home this season, and just eight goals scored in those games, probably not. The value may be on them not scoring and it’s alternative markets which can often lead to the best bets of the day.

Werder Breme v Schalke
Bundesliga – 7.45 pm
BT Sport

Action from the Bundesliga on Friday night features Werder Bremen playing host to Schalke. Bremen are sat in the middle of the table and they are doing pretty well lately actually. They are unbeaten in their last seven played. They have drawn a total of five of their last six league outings though. Each of their last three games have all ended in a 1-1 scoreline.

So it will be interesting to see the outcome here. Will they break out of their drawing habit? Will they have enough to stop the visitors? The leading bookmakers have Werder Bremen as even money favourites on home soil. Schalke are only the four places beneath them though. However, Schalke have been going through a tough sequence of results having lost four of their last five, picking up just the one point.

But it is another one of those games where it may not be all about the actual outcome for betting. 7 of Schalke’s last 9 league games, for example, have all ended over 2.5 goals. So that is a market that may be worth exploring as an alternative to the match outright. Schalke have only won twice away from home this season in the Bundesliga. Both were against sides currently in the bottom half of the table. Werder Bremen are right there on the line, sitting top of the bottom half of the Bundesliga.

There’s another heavyweight weekend of top sporting action coming along, read Bobby’s Big Weekend Bets for more

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Big Bets Bobby’s Take on the Dmitry Bivol Vs Joe Smith Jr Fight!

Dmitry.Bivol Vs Joe.Smith .Jr

Our winning run came to an end last week as Luis Ortiz went the distance against Christian Hammer. Ortiz was widely expected to get the KO win, however, may have just lured the big three heavyweights into his future path with an underwhelming points win in Brooklyn.

This weekend has shows either side of the Atlantic, with the light-heavyweights taking centre stage on both shows. At the Turning Stone Resort Casino, New York, the WBA light-heavyweight champion Dmitry Bivol (15-0) takes on 29-year-old Joe Smith Jnr, still basking in the fame of knocking out Bernard Hopkins surprisingly in 2016.

Bivol is one part of four exceptional world champions at the 175-pounds limit. Joining Oleksandr Gvozdyk, Artur Beterbiev and Sergey Kovalev, these titlists are on a collision course of unification fights in 2019, sewing together the fractured belts for one undeniable face of the division. First, however, Bivol needs to take care of his American opponent who has only tasted defeat twice in his career to date.

It’s Bivol’s fifth defence of his WBA strap after smashing Trent Broadhurst for it inside a round in 2017; in that time he has gone the distance with Jean Pascal, Isaac Chilemba and KO’d Sullivan Barrera in the final round of their bout just over a year ago.

For Bivol, it’s a test to get back to destructive winning ways. “He’s a strong guy,” said Bivol. “I saw his fight against Bernard Hopkins, and he’s really strong. He has the same age like me, he’s young. But he has some minus points like many fighters that I will use to my advantage for my win. He moves forward a lot. This is a good challenge for me, to stop him.”

“I saw in his eyes when I met him, he wanted my belt. And I’m glad, because only that way it can make a good fight.”

Bivol knows a stoppage win is the only way he can be regarded as one of the best light-heavy champions this weekend, with Gvozdyk’s recent displays holding him as many pundits #1. Smith Jnr has only been stopped once, back in 2010, and with Bivol alluding to thoughts of moving down to 168-pounds in the past, it may be another case of the champion needing the twelve rounds to dissect his challenger. Bivol is a spiteful puncher, but whether he has true power at 175-pounds remains to be seen.

At 19/10 with BetFred, it’s a price too good to turn down, with Bivol becoming frustrated by a tight Smith Jnr guard. Bivol has entered the twelfth round in his last three fights.

Dmitry Bivol to win by decision or technical decision vs Joe Smith Jr @ 19/10 (BetFred)

In the UK at the iconic Royal Albert Hall, two headline fights underline the problem we face all too often in boxing. Daniel Dubois takes on Razvan Cojanu at heavyweight and Anthony Yarde steps in against Travis Reeves at the light-heavyweight limit: Dubois and Yarde are both priced at 1/100 to win their respective fights.

Let’s fill in the gaps. If you were to stake £10 on both Dubois and Yarde winning the fight, it would return 20p. Mismatching at its finest!

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