Online Betting Pro, Author at Free Bets And Sports News.

Liverpool vs. Tottenham: Is a Win Too Much to Expect?

Posted on 2017-02-08 by Online Betting Pro

If Tottenham is going to pull off an upset and leapfrog Chelsea to win the Premier League this season, they’ll have to start by winning what’s certain to be a tough test at Anfield on February 11. Despite a gap of four points and three league places, Spurs aren’t necessarily the favourites heading into what will be a crunch match.

Now, before we run through the odds and see exactly where the bookmakers’ sympathies lay, there are two important facts to point out. The first is that Tottenham hasn’t won at Anfield since 2011. In the last eight games between Liverpool and Tottenham at Anfield, the former have won five and drawn three. To make things worse for the visitors, Anfield is the place they’ve lost the most frequently in the Premier League (15 losses from 24 games).

History Doesn’t Favour Spurs

For all intents and purposes, Spurs don’t seem to like travelling north to play Liverpool. In fact, manager Mauricio Pochettino doesn’t seem to like playing against Liverpool anywhere as he’s never beaten them with a Tottenham team. However, as bad as history has been to the London club, those that like to live in the moment will be buoyed by our second significant fact: Liverpool hasn’t won in the Premier League in 2017.

If we discount an FA win at Plymouth Argyle, Liverpool seems to have perfected the art of losing to “lesser teams” and drawing with top opposition. For example, the Reds went from a well-earned draw against Chelsea to losing 2-0 to Hull City. Aside from being a surprising turn of events, this run of results seems to suggest that Liverpool is inconsistent.

Naturally, if you’re going to win the Premier League, you have to be consistent; especially after Christmas. However, we’re not talking about the title race; we’re looking at Liverpool vs. Tottenham in isolation. Based on this recent run, the data would suggest that Liverpool will enter the game as favourites (from a historical standpoint), but the end result will be a draw. If you’re inclined to follow this logic, 23/10 on a draw with Sun Bets isn’t a bad price. However, for our money, Liverpool half-time and a draw full-time at 14/1 with Sky Bet is hard to ignore.

Confidence Will Help Liverpool, but Tottenham Remain a Threat

There’s no doubt Liverpool will start the match full of confidence. Even if we ignore history, Anfield is always a fortress and with the side desperate to give the home fans a win in 2017, they’ll no doubt come out all guns blazing. A single goal before half-time is more than possible, but with Tottenham showing a propensity to score, there’s every chance they’ll come back in the second half.

In fact, as goal hungry as Tottenham have been in recent weeks, Liverpool have also shown they’re no strangers to the back of the net. 52 goals in 24 Premier League matches is better than anyone (except Arsenal who also has 52 goals) and if the Reds can continue this form, we could be in for a high-scoring draw. 2-2 is currently 12/1 at Coral which, when you consider 3-3 is 50/1, doesn’t look to be a bad bet.

It Could be Too Close to Call

Why haven’t we mentioned the odds on a win?

Well, it should come as no secret that we’re pushing our chips towards a draw on this one. However, if you’re looking to back the historical stats, 6/5 is the price on a Liverpool win at Sun Bets. In contrast, if current form is more important, then 11/5 is the going rate at Coral. Either way, the odds makers have it close, which is why we’re hedging our bets on a stalemate.

Does that mean there won’t be goals and drama? Certainly not. However, if both teams play to their potential, then there should be very little to choose between them on this occasion.

Man United vs. Watford – Return of the Giant Slayers

Posted on 2017-02-08 by Online Betting Pro

This Saturday sees Manchester United entertaining a resurgent Watford, and Walter Mazzari will be eager for a repeat of last week’s shock win against Arsenal at the Emirates. United are unbeaten in the league since October and are looking to preserve that run.

Man United

Coming off the back of 3 consecutive league draws, Sunday’s win away against Champions Leicester came as welcome relief for the United faithful. An impressive display from Mourinho’s men, if somewhat emphasised by Leicester’s complete lack of quality, sees them keep pace with the pack chasing 4th place. Currently sitting in 6th with 45 points, they are only 5 points behind Tottenham in second place; both Liverpool and Arsenal’s campaigns have fallen into disarray, and United now have a solid chance of claiming a Champions League spot next year. Their last Premier League loss was 4:0 against Chelsea in October, at a time when many were writing them off and declaring Mourinho to be past it. Since then, United have rallied under the Portuguese, quietly consolidating themselves into a position where they can mount a challenge on 4th place.

Watford

Watford had gone 7 league games without a win when they were dumped out of the FA Cup by League 1 Millwall. After that particularly poor performance, many were asking whether Watford would backslide into the expanding relegation fight. Their quality shone through against Arsenal, however, and they followed it up with a home win against Burnley. With 8 points in 4 games pushing them up to 10th, Watford is looking to be pretty much safe from the drop, bar a really shocking decline of form.

Head to Head

These two teams have played each other 3 times in recent years, United winning both games last season. This season, Watford have the opportunity to do the double against the Manchester giants, as the corresponding fixture at Vicarage Road in September saw Watford win 3:1, a game that brought as many plaudits down on Watford as harsh criticisms of United. Mourinho will be keen to avenge that result and score a victory against Mazzari, a man he once called “a hard working donkey” who would “never become a thoroughbred”. Mazzari will be eager to slay two giants in two weeks and get another one up on an old rival from Serie A.

Injuries

Marcos Rojo, Phill Jones and Timothy Fosu-Mensah are all in doubt for Saturday, and Wayne Rooney is currently suffering from an illness. For Watford, Costel Pantilimon, Christian Kabesele, Robert Pereya and Nordin Amrabat will all likely miss the game.

The Value

Despite Watford’s improving form and capacity for beating the top teams, I expect United to wear them down over 90 minutes. Dropping home points against Hull will be fresh in Mourinho’s mind and he won’t want to let it happen again here, and they will be all the warier after that defeat all those months ago. At 2/9 on Bet365, there is really very little value in backing a straight home win, but United to Win and BTTS/No at 2/1 might be worth a go.

Watford does have the potential to cause an upset, however, and backing them on a Double Chance at 5/2 with William Hill could be worth a pop.

The Pressure is on Arsene Wenger

Posted on 2017-02-07 by Online Betting Pro

Being out of the Premier League title race by the beginning of February wasn’t something that the Arsenal fans expected or hoped for. The harsh reality is that it has happened. Whatever pressure there was on Arsene Wenger has now been heaped back onto his shoulders. Arsenal winning back to back FA Cups in 2014 and 2015 relieved some of that pressure. Last season was Arsenals big chance in the league. They blew it in spectacular fashion.

The 3-1 defeat to neighbours and title rivals Chelsea last weekend was the final nail in the coffin for Arsene Wenger. Once again they look too weak for the Champions League latter stages. This leaves the FA Cup as their only realistic target. There is an even bigger problem on the horizon. If Arsenal fails to qualify for the Champions League next season then the pressure will be intense on Arsene Wenger.

The Manchester are Teams Coming Good

With just fourteen games to go in the league, Arsenal is now a mere one point in front of Manchester City and only two in front of United. The current form tables suggest that Arsenal and Liverpool are in serious danger of missing out on the Champions League places. Both City and United are improving while Arsenal seems to be misfiring. They only just scraped past Burnley recently with a late stoppage time penalty.

The home loss against Watford last week was hardly a big shock. Arsenal faces Hull City this weekend in what is a must-win game for the Gunners. The title may have gone after their loss to Chelsea, but they are now in a serious dogfight for the top four places. The problem for Arsenal is that Hull now has a new manager and have been impressive in recent weeks.

A Much Tougher Fixture

Hull have taken four points from Manchester United and Liverpool in their previous two matches and have clearly turned a corner with regards to their form. The new Hull City manager Marco Silva has got the team performing again. They need to because their league position is perilous. The betting firms see Arsenal as firm favourites and rightly so. Bet365 have Arsenal at 1-4 and it’s difficult to see value in that price.

Arsenal is likely to win this game but that doesn’t mean that we can back them at any price. The odds of 19-4 on the draw also by Bet365 may appeal better. The superior bet may be the even money odds offered by PaddyPower on both teams to score.

The fact of the matter is that Hull City are not too far behind teams like Burnley and Watford in terms of consistency. Burnley came within seconds of getting a point at Arsenal while Watford beat them. Arsenal is a fragile team given the strength of their squad and that will remain the case until the end of this season.

Strong Field for AT & T at Pebble Beach

Posted on 2017-02-072017-02-07 by Online Betting Pro

The field for the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro Am, this week’s PGA Tour stop will be thanking their lucky stars that Hideke Matsuyama isn’t lining up alongside them. The red-hot Japanese pro won again in Phoenix last week to underline his credentials as the form player on Tour. His absence gives the host of big names a chance to claim some silverware and valuable FedEx Cup points, but it won’t be easy given the quality of golfers on display.

Take a look at the players in the field to watch and our tip for the winner in this week’s PGA Tour preview of the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro Am:

The Course

The Pro Am features a slightly unusual format with a third round cut line. Each player plays Pebble Beach, Spyglass Hill and Monterey Peninsula Country Club’s Shore Course, before those who progress enjoy the splendid Pebble beach for a second time.

The course is one of immaculate beauty. It’s ranked the number one public course in the US because of its spectacular views of the coastline, cliffs and ocean. Pebble Beach has hosted the US Open on multiple occasions and is best known for its tiny greens.

While none of the courses play long, they will provide an ample challenge in conditions where the ball won’t carry as far. Keep in mind, that with less carry, longer hitters might prevail, doubly so for those with great short games too as it will be impossible to maintain a high GIR percentage this week.

The Defending Champion

Vaughn Taylor shocked everyone last year by recording his first win in 11 years; defeating third-round leader Phil Mickelson, a guy that plays unbelievably well at Pebble Beach. Taylor posted a final round 65 before watching Phil miss a very makable five-footer for birdie on the last. At one stage Taylor was six shots off Mickelson’s lead.

Two Swedes’, Jones Blixt and Freddie Jacobson finished 3rd and 4th respectively to close out last year’s top four.

The Contenders*

Phil Mickelson $23

Four-time winner of the tournament and one that has featured (rightly so) in a number of our contender lists over the last month. Runner-up last year (as above) and in decent form – definitely worth considering.

Jason Day $13

A little bit of doubt surrounds his body as he looks to bounce back from a missed cut at Torrey Pines in his last start. Hopefully, his poor last outing can be put down to Tiger’s presence/funk and he brings the game that has seen him record three top 10s here in the past.

Justin Rose $15

Rose was tied 6th here last year and has been hanging around the leaderboard in his two starts this year (2nd in Hawaii and 4th in the Farmers Insurance Open. A great look if his back is healthy.

Dustin Johnson $9

Also looking to bounce back after playing with Tiger a fortnight ago. Johnson has a curious record in the AT&T; two wins and another four top 10s scattered amongst 3 missed cuts. A course that will certainly suit his length.

Jordan Spieth $10

Quietly putting together a nice start to the season ahead of April’s trip to Augusta. Spieth has had four top tens in his last four events and has never missed a cut here.

Jon Rahm $23

The young Spaniard continues to play a full calendar despite enjoying a breakthrough win only a couple of weeks ago. Rahm hasn’t played in the tournament before, but if he can close out a tournament with a 60ft eagle putt he can pretty much do anything.

If nothing takes your fancy above, consider Patrick Reed ($29), J.B. Holmes ($41) or J.J Spaun ($67) as the next best options.

*Odds from Sportsbet.

The Winner

Phil’s form and history will likely lead to the left-hander being the favourite in most circles. For that reason, we’ll include him here with a strong feeling that Spaun could do something great too.

Boston Celtics look set to challenge Cleveland in Eastern Conference

Posted on 2017-02-06 by Online Betting Pro

A week ago we recommended you back the Washington Wizards at 13/8 with Bet Victor to win the Southeast Division and the Boston Celtics at 6/5 with Coral to win the Atlantic Division. We hope you followed that advice because in the past week both teams have won all their games and surged clear at the top of those divisions. They are both now odds-on to win them: the Wizards have gone in from 13/8 to 10/11, with Sky Bet, William Hill and Betway offering the best odds; while the Celtics have gone from 6/5 to being heavy favourites, with Betway offering the best price at 3/4. In the past week the Celtics’ closest rivals, the Toronto Raptors, have lost twice, while the Hawks and the Hornets, who are vying with Washington in the Southeast Division, have also stumbled. The Celtics and Wizards have great momentum, and if you did not back them a week ago, 10/11 and 3/4 still makes a nice double. Or you could try a six-fold: Utah Jazz, Golden State Warriors, San Antonio Spurs, Boston Celtics, Cleveland Cavaliers and Washington Wizards all to win their divisions.

Eastern Conference

In the Western Conference, the Golden State Warriors are on fire and should make another Finals, despite the superb form of the San Antonio Spurs. But things are much more interesting in the Eastern Conference. The Cavaliers, last season’s NBA Championship winners led by LeBron James, have been heavy favourites to win it all season, but the Cavs have struggled to build momentum this season. They cannot seem to post a long run of consecutive wins and have lost five of their last 10. No such problems for the Celtics, who are on a seven-game winning streak, or the Wizards, who have also won seven in a row. Both could really give the Cavs a run for their money in the Eastern Conference. Of the two, the Celtics are the most likely. Boston guard Isaiah Thomas has scored 20 or more points in 34 consecutive games and that has been the driving force behind their superb run since Christmas. The Wizards, meanwhile, have won 16 consecutive home games and are 23-9 since December 1. It’s currently advantage Cleveland in the playoff race, as the defending champs are 34-15, but the Celtics are hot on the tail, with 33-18, while the Wizards are back on 30-20. Cleveland is in the driving seat, but either could steal the top seed from them. The best price you can get on Cleveland winning the conference is a lowly 4/11, but the 12/1 on offer at 888 Sport on the Celtics looks appealing, as does the longer shot of 33/1 available at Paddy Power on the Wizards.

Upcoming Games

The Celtics travel to Sacramento on Thursday to face the Kings, who are low on confidence after recently blowing double-digit leads to lose three times in a row and are 20-31. The Celtics are a juggernaut right now and should win that one comfortably. On the same day, the in-form Wizards travel to Brooklyn to play the Nets, who are pretty much the worst team in the league right now. The Nets have lost nine in a row and 12 in a row at home, so the Wizards should crush them. A double of the Celtics and Wizards to cover the spread looks good here. To broaden it out to a treble, the Spurs play the 76ers in Philadelphia and should be confident of a resounding win. After the Warriors, the Spurs have the best record in the league this season and the 76ers are on a three-game losing streak and looking short of ideas.

Man City to get Their Title Campaign Back on Track

Posted on 2017-02-03 by Online Betting Pro

THERE is a whole host of “must win” games in the Premier League this weekend and that is certainly the case when Manchester City host strugglers Swansea at the Etihad on Sunday afternoon.

After a mid-season blip, City finally looks to be getting back to their early season best form and are a very warm 1.20 favourite win and put the pressure on Chelsea at the top of the table with another three points against the Swans.

City arrives in confident mood after back-to-back wins scoring seven goals in the process and not conceding, and another easy win looks on the cards, despite Swansea arriving in Manchester in decent form themselves.

The visitors have won their last two matches as well including a famous 3-2 success at Anfield on their last road trip, but with City expected to let loose from the shackles in this one, this is going to be a long, tough afternoon for new Swansea boss Paul Clement.

I can see Pep Guardiola going for it for the remainder of the Premier League campaign which means that City matches are going to be very entertaining to watch and the one thing that looks certain in this one is goals and a lot of them.

Goals are the Way to go in Man City Matches for Remainder of Season

Nine of the last ten City games have seen over 2.5 goals and that has also been a winning bet in 12 of the last 14 in Swansea matches; the over 2.5 goals line at 1.40 is a very short price in that market, but it does look the banker in the match, and also at 2.05 with BetVictor over 3.5 goals looks worthy of support as well.

Whilst we are on the goals theme both teams have scored in the last seven matches between these two sides and a “yes” in this one is certainly a bet in the BTTS coupon this weekend at 1.95 with Betfair Sportsbook and at the 11.00 I will be taking City to keep their title challenge right on track with a 3-1 win with Bet365.

Sergio Aguero looks a shadow of the player he was at the start of the season. He’s clearly unhappy at the moment and is a false favourite at 3/1 to open the goal scoring.

The Argentinian striker’s days at the Etihad look clearly limited, his body language doesn’t look great and he’s far from a certain starter at the weekend.

New signing Gabriel Jesus looks the real deal and the long term replacement for Aguero and he can answer punters prayers with the opening goal at 4.50 with Paddy Power.

Author: Online Betting Pro