Author: Online Betting Pro

I am a punter that loves to follow the horse both in Australia and the United Kingdom. I enjoy writing about sports betting and also casino, poker and bingo. In my spare time I like to keep fit by playing football and going for long bike rides. I also like to travel the world and see amazing place s and meet wonderful people along the way.

San Antonio Spurs Threaten to Usurp Warriors After Durant Injury

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With less than six weeks until the playoffs, an injury to star player Kevin Durant has threatened to derail the chances of NBA Championships favourites the Golden State Warriors. Without him, the Warriors have lost twice in a row and the supremely consistent San Antonio Spurs are now hot on their heels in the race to emerge as the top seed in the Western Conference. The Warriors are now no longer a sure thing in the west, and that has blown the race to the Finals wide open, making the season more exciting than ever.

Western Conference

Durant sprained his knee in a freak accident that occurred when teammate Zaza Pachulia backed into him while fighting for a rebound. The team initially feared he would miss the rest of the season, but the prognosis now looks a little more positive as he might make it back in time for the playoffs. But by that time, Golden State could have been overtaken by San Antonio as the number one seed in the west. After losing Durant they suffered back-to-back defeats to the Wizards and Bulls, the first time in 146 games they had lost twice in a row – an NBA record. They missed his ability to stretch the court, and the Golden State offence has looked out of sync as opposing teams have crowded Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson.

Meanwhile, the Spurs are 9-1 in their last 10, the best record in the league, and are on a seven-game winning streak. They are now just three wins behind Golden State and are driven by the constantly improving offensive prowess of Kawhi Leonard. This has pushed Golden State out to 2/5 with Betfred for the west, while San Antonio is now 9/2 with William Hill, which looks a very interesting bet. Even if Durant makes it back in time for the playoffs he could be carrying an injury still, and suddenly the Warriors do not look quite as invincible.

Eastern Conference

The Boston Celtics and Washington Wizards have been putting pressure on the Cleveland Cavaliers for top seed in the Eastern Conference for some time and that has continued. At 7-3 in their last 10, the Wizards have the best recent form in the east, which makes the 12/1 888Sport is offering on them to win it look an intriguing option. But the Cavs look back in business now that LeBron James is strapped up and ready for the home straight and the team has been bolstered by Deron Williams and Andrew Bogut and most of the action is likely to go on Cleveland, who are 4/11 with Sky Bet, William Hill and Boyle Sports.

MVP Race

Despite topping most player power rankings since Christmas, James Harden has failed to pull away from Russell Westbrook in the betting for regular season MVP. With just six weeks to go, Harden is evens with William Hill, while Westbrook is 6/4 with Bet Victor. What counts against Westbrook, however, is that the Thunder are not a great team and a lot of his hard work goes unnoticed. Harden’s Rockets are a genuine threat to Golden State and San Antonio in the west and he has emerged as the best point guard in the league this season with the stats to back it up, so even money at William Hill looks great right now.

Upcoming Games

A huge game that could help decide the ultimate Western Conference table sees Harden’s Rockets travel to San Antonio to face the Spurs. It should be close, but recent form points to a San Antonio win and the 3/5 at Bet365 looks good. On Wednesday the in-form Wizards are at the Phoenix Suns and should cover a heavy spread against a team committing 15.1 turnovers per game. On Thursday, Celtics v Warriors looks too close to call, but a treble of the Spurs to beat the Kings, the Wizards to beat the Nuggets and the Atlanta Hawks to beat the Brooklyn Nets looks great.

Arsenal vs. Bayern Munich Preview: Are the Gunners Mentally Broken?

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If you’re an Arsenal fan you might want to look away now because this Champions League betting preview is neither going to be flattering or easy to stomach. Let’s start off by getting the elephant out of the room and into the open: Arsenal was poor against Bayern Munich and probably won’t overturn the 5-1 deficit so don’t bet on them progressing to the next round.

Now that’s out of the way, let’s take a look at why Arsene Wenger’s men flopped so spectacularly in Germany. For starters, the loss of Laurent Koscielny didn’t help. The centre-back has played a pivotal role for Arsenal this season and it’s no surprise that Bayern took the opportunity to capitalise on his removal from the game during the first leg. Three goals in ten minutes with Koscielny by the sidelines just goes to highlight his importance to the side.

The Injury Hurt but it’s the Mind that’s Suffering

However, although that injury blow effectively killed off the game and Arsenal’s chances of making the Champion’s League quarter-finals, it was the team’s mental state that was the main concern. With rumours swirling that Wenger will be out at the end of the season and Bayern having done a number on the Gunners in the past, the players appeared to break far too easily. In fact, it’s something Koscielny commented on to the media after the game.

Although Wenger downplayed the “mental problems” comment by suggesting his vice-captain meant the team lacked confidence against Bayern, it appears as though the rot may have set in. Any time a player stands up and suggests there’s a psychological epidemic running through the side, it should raise a red flag to fans. Whether or not the Frenchman’s assessment is correct or not, the mere fact he said it is enough to cause an issue.

With this in mind, it’s hard to see how Arsenal can recover on March 7. Four unanswered goals would do it for them and, if you’re in the mood for a punt, you can currently get odds of 66/1 on that happening with Sun Bets. Now, while that might be a few goals too far, the second leg shouldn’t be seen as all doom and gloom for Arsenal. In fact, the betting odds suggest that the game might actually be quite close.

The Odds are Close but is the Mental Divide too Wide?

Paddy Power has its betting line set at Arsenal to win 2/1 and Bayern to win 13/10. In a similar vein, Coral’s odds makers have it 15/8 for Arsenal and 6/5 for the visitors. From this perspective, the odds aren’t predicting another 5-1 romp for Bayern. Part of that could be due to the fact Koscielny and Aaron Ramsey are likely to be fit for the game. With some extra meat in the middle and a steady head at the back, Arsenal could easily pinch a result.

Sun Bet’s 9/1 on a 2:1 win for Arsenal doesn’t look bad at the price, while Paddy Power’s 12/5 on the draw could offer some decent value. Of course, even with two key players returning, it may not be enough. If Arsenal is suffering from mental problems as Koscielny said, it will be a long night in London. A single goal early could break the team’s spirit and, if that happens, we could be on for another high scoring game.

While we’re unlikely to see Wenger’s men give up five goals at home, 3-1 Bayern looks a strong bet with odds of 14/1 at Coral. There’s no doubt Arsenal will want to salvage at least some sort of consolation from the game, but if those psychological demons strike at any point, then it’s hard to see how they’ll win the match let alone the tie.

Napoli v Real Madrid: Partenopei Face Uphill Battle To Progress

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European football’s premier club competition, the Champions League, returns on Tuesday evening with 11-times champions Real Madrid travelling to Naples aiming to secure their place in the quarter-final draw.

They will take a two-goal advantage into the match in southern Italy after recording a 3-1 victory in the first leg at the Bernabeu three weeks ago. However, Lorenzo Insigne’s opening goal for the visitors that night gives the passionate Partenopei supporters real hope that their heroes can overturn their two-goal deficit and progress at the expense of their more illustrious opponents.

Madrid Looking for ‘La Dos Décima’

Reigning European champions Real, who defeated cross-city rivals Atlético on penalties in last May’s final in Milan to win their 11th title, overcame that early goal from Insigne thanks to goals from Karim Benzema, Toni Kroos and a stunning Casemiro volley to put themselves in the driving seat for a place in the tournament’s last eight.

And despite a concerning run of form of late for Zinedine Zidane’s men, a run including defeat on the road at Valencia and dropped points at home to Las Palmas, leading some dramatists to declare it a crisis, Los Merengues will head into Tuesday’s match in the intimidating atmosphere of the Stadio San Paolo as the overwhelming favourites to emerge as aggregate victors. BetVictor are currently quoting them as low as 1/12 to progress and 9/2 to become the first club since Arrigo Sacchi’s dominant AC Milan of the late 1980s and early 1990s to retain the much-coveted trophy.

Napoli, under the guidance of Maurizio Sarri, finished top of their group in the pool stages and will be hoping Real suffer from stage fright as the club strive to move a giant step closer towards winning the ultimate prize in club football, adding to their sole previous European triumph when the legendary Diego Maradona inspired them to UEFA Cup glory in 1991.

Napoli Out to Overcome Long Odds

Currently sitting third in the Serie A table behind dominant leaders Juventus and second-placed Roma, Napoli is a huge but tempting 6/1 with Ladbrokes to overcome the odds and the doubters to eliminate the current holders.

They do however possess the necessary firepower to achieve the impossible with the likes of Insigne, Belgian forward Dries Mertens, former Madridista José María Callejón and goalscoring captain Marek Hamšík within their ranks. Mertens, Napoli’s top scorer in the competition with four to date and an impressive 16 goals in Serie A this season is a tempting 5/1 with Sky Bet to open the scoring, while Callejón is a tasty 13/2 to net first against his former employers.

However, if the Italian giants are to progress in the competition, they will need to shut out Real’s own trio of superstars, Cristiano Ronaldo, Karim Benzema and Welshman Gareth Bale who has extra motivation to reach a third final in four seasons with his home city of Cardiff set to host this year’s showpiece event.

Ronaldo to Renew Rivalry with Reina

Ronaldo, Real’s leading marksmen once again this term with 18 league goals, has yet to hit the heights in Europe during this campaign, netting just twice to date. He is nevertheless the favourite with Sky Bet to silence the home fans with the game’s first goal at 7/2, while he is 9/1 with the same bookmaker to claim a sixth career Champions League hat-trick.

The man tasked with the responsibility of stopping his former Manchester United rival Ronaldo and his fellow superstars will be Spanish international goalkeeper Pepe Reina, born in Madrid and son of Miguel who donned the gloves for Real’s arch-rivals Barcelona and Atlético Madrid during his own distinguished career. Reina Jr, a beaten finalist with Liverpool in 2007, is 4/1 to keep a clean sheet with Paddy Power. If he can achieve such an impressive feat and his teammates can find two goals from somewhere, Napoli will progress on away goals at Real’s expense.

Anything can happen in football of course and I may find a spare fiver from somewhere to wager on Napoli achieving a major shock. But I wouldn’t bet my mortgage on it!

Tottenham v Everton Preview: Hedge Your Bets on this One

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“We’ve had good results against really good teams and that gives everyone the confidence to get a good result on Sunday.” That’s what Everton manager Ronald Koeman recently told the club’s official website when asked about their impending clash with second-place Tottenham.

Reviewing the Toffees’ season-to-date, a season that’s seen them beat Manchester City, Arsenal and pick up a point against Manchester United, Koeman is confident his players have the skills to win on March 5. However, as buoyed by these results as Koeman may be, Mark Lawrenson can’t see Everton maintaining their current streak of nine games unbeaten.

Despite acknowledging the quality of the side, Tottenham’s defensive abilities and their desire to bounce back from a disappointing Europa League exit will be enough to tip the balance according to Lawro.

“Generally Spurs are very good defensively and, at the other end, they just ripped the Potters apart last week – Harry Kane’s hat-trick was top drawer. I know Everton are nine games unbeaten in the league, but going to White Hart Lane and continuing that run is a huge ask,” Lawrenson told BBC sport.

The Battle Between the Physical and the Mental

Ahead of the match, it seems as though one of two factors could decide this game. On the one hand, those in favour of Tottenham can look towards the team’s superior physical skills. With Harry Kane currently banging in goals for fun and leading the Premier League’s top scorer race, there’s no doubt Everton will be under pressure from the off. In fact, when you factor in the loss of defensive midfielder Muhamed Besic due to an injury, Everton may be forced into their shell in a bid to stop Kane from running riot.

On the other hand, Everton supporters could feasibly claim that their players will have the psychological edge heading into the match. As Koeman has pointed out, big results from big games this season bodes well for the upcoming fixture. Add to that the fact Everton picked up a point against Spurs the last time they met on top of a nine-run win streak and supporters have every right to be confident. There’s no doubt the absence of Besic and Yannick Bolasie will hurt, but maybe the team’s mindset can overcome this hurdle.

Indeed, with Tottenham’s Toby Alderweireld, Jan Vertonghen, Danny Rose and Erik Lamela all looking unlikely, the time may be right for Everton to do a bit better than a point. If the boys in blue can ride this wave of confidence, 9/2 on a win with Sun Bets looks to be a strong price. On the flip side, those with the confidence that physical skills will overcome mental agility can find odds of 4/6 on Tottenham at Coral.

Double Your Bets for a Chance to Win Twice

For those looking to sniff out a bargain, Paddy Power’s weekend “2 Up” offer may be worth taking. If Spurs can bag a couple of quick goals, you’ll be paid out instantly at 8/13 regardless of the end result. Given that we could easily see Everton fight back and earn a point as they did last time out, this could be a great way to hedge your bets. By combining Paddy Power’s offer with Coral’s 3/1 on the draw you to pick up two wins on what looks to be a highly likely outcome.

With both teams playing well and positives on both sides, Tottenham v Everton looks set to be an entertaining but close game. Current league standings would suggest the home side will just edge it. However, if you’re willing to double your bets and use some online offers, the draw could be the wisest move you’ll make this weekend.

More Travel Sickness for Chelsea

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Under Antonio Conte, today’s Chelsea squad is enriched with an abundance of talent and leadership that is the envy of all.

Meanwhile, West Ham’s future in the Premier League remains uncertain but not necessarily bleak. A strong January transfer window, which saw the arrival of dead ball specialist Robert Snodgrass, appears to have given the team a massive boost.

The ninth-placed Hammers are now in a good position to finish in the top half and build from there. Sadly, a European finish is seemingly out of the question.

Unsurprisingly, just one bookmaker is now offering odds for West Ham to achieve a top-six berth. The certifiably insane can back the Hammers to pull this off at 250/1 with Bet 365.

Can Bilic restore the faith?

West Ham has not made a particularly impressive start to life at the London Stadium. Yet, aside from two league defeats at home (to both Manchester clubs), 2017 has begun reasonably well for the East End club.

Neutrals will also do well to remember that the Hammers have already beaten Chelsea at home this season. That victory came in the EFL Cup fourth round on 26 October.

Tellingly, Bilic’s battlers have also scored twice against Chelsea in three of the last four encounters. That noted, Chelsea has seldom conceded against West Ham without response. Ultimately, this means that the Anytime Goalscorer Double market is a potential goldmine ahead of Monday evening.

Adventurous bettors may be willing to explore less obvious options, but at 11/2 (William Hill), the inclusion of Diego Costa and Andy Carroll on the scoresheet is a tempting proposition to back.

Awayday Blues

The EFL Cup exit was, in many ways, the best thing that could have happened to Chelsea. With no other distractions, Conte’s side became unplayable over the autumn of 2016. Though Chelsea is seemingly invincible at home, away games have occasionally disrupted the flow of West London’s finest.

One notable case in hand is Chelsea’s recent trip to Turf Moor. Drawing 1-1 in a flurry of East Lancashire sleet and hostility, the Blues badly under-performed against a spirited Burnley side. Not long before that came a 2-0 defeat at White Hart Lane. The latter match was comfortably Chelsea’s worst performance of this season to date.

Those matches are just two examples of Chelsea’s fallibility on the road, making Monday night’s London derby very difficult to predict. Therefore, we delve into the HT/FT market for potential gems.

West Ham owe it to the oft-suffering home faithful to make a strong start, and Bet Victor is currently offering generous odds of 19/1 for Chelsea to gain a draw after trailing at halftime.

Our Prediction

For away sides, Sky’s Monday Night Football represents the ultimate experience in crowd hostility and subjective scrutiny. It was a psychological test which Liverpool failed with flailing colours in the most recent edition – the heavy favourites went down 3-1 at relegation-battling Leicester.

The context of a local rivalry multiplies any impending psychological hardships many fold. For all its self-evident skill, the Chelsea starting XI will have to fight its way through hell for three points.

The official Betcirca prediction is West Ham 2-2 Chelsea. This exact scoreline can be backed at a market-high of 18/1 with Bet365.

City To Run Riot At The Stadium Of Light

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PREMIER League basement boys Sunderland faces a very tough test on Sunday when they host Man City at the Stadium of Light, and I don’t give the Black Cats much hope of moving off the bottom of the table in this one.

David Moye’s has a massive job on his hands to keep this Sunderland side in the top flight and with injuries piling up and other teams around them getting results I am not surprised that they are just 1.14 for the drop.

The home side is in free-fall after just one win in their last 11 matches, and there looks little to no chance that they can pull off an 11.00 surprise win with Bet365 against a City side that arrives here in rampant form.

Pep Guardiola’s side has finally hit their stride and is still going strong in three tournaments; last week’s 5-3 Champions League win over Monaco was the best match of the season so far, and with 11 wins from their last 15 matches, they will get the job done again at the weekend.

The bookies, however, are taking no chances and rate the visitors just 1.30 to close the gap on leaders Chelsea with a win, which might interest you if you are a big staking punter, but even though I do anticipate another City success, I will just be including them in my Premier League accumulator.

City has now scored at least two goals in their last EIGHT matches and against a Sunderland that have failed to score in FIVE of their last six games that bring a couple of alternative ways to get with City.

In two of the last three meetings in this fixture, City has won by a 4-1 margin and another easy afternoon is expected. I would take the visitors to cover the -1.5 on the Asian handicap which is 1.81 with BetVictor.

Also in SEVEN of the last eight clashes between the two, over 2.5 goals has been a winning bet, and with City more than capable of doing that on their own, that also looks appealing at the general quotes of 1.45 with most bookies.

Sergio Aguero has capitalised on regaining his place in the starting line-up due to the injury to Gabriel Jesus, and the Argentinian who scored twice in the win against Monaco and four in his last three starts against Sunderland looks an outstanding bet to open the goal scoring again in this latest meeting at 3.50 with BetVictor.