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.

Watford vs Everton: A Close One Tough to Call

Posted on by Online Betting Pro

The Saturday lunchtime kick-off in the Premier League features Watford against Everton. While this isn’t one of the stellar Premier League fixtures, it does present a very interesting betting opportunity. Both clubs have had a decent start to the season. Watford under new coach Walter Mazzari have done very well and have 18pts from their first 14 games. If they continue that points per game ratio, that should see them safe with several games to spare.

The problem is that the Premier League isn’t as simple as that. Many smaller clubs have done well in the first half of the season and then really struggled after Christmas. Watford was forced into a managerial change that they didn’t really want to make last season. You have to give some serious credit to Walter Mazzari for steadying what appeared to be a very rocky ship.

The Strength to Survive

Watford clearly has the players to perform in the top league. They achieved a creditable 13th place in their first year back in the top flight last season. Everton too has had a turbulent time. Moving from David Moyes to Roberto Martinez and now to Ronald Koeman in such a short space of time has been difficult. You have to give Everton some credit as well because they haven’t been in serious trouble in any of that time. They currently sit in 8th place on 20pts and are looking at yet another solid season.

Everton travels to Watford this weekend with both clubs experiencing recent mixed results. They have only won once in their previous six combined matches. So both teams need a win, and both managers will know that a bad run of results could be waiting for them just around the corner.

Great Value Bets

This is a really tough game to call. Vicarage Road is not an easy place to go to for any visiting team. So it is surprising to see the bookies quoting 2-1 for a Watford victory. Those are the sort of odds that you would see for a match like this played on a neutral ground. There is value in backing Watford at 2-1 with BetFred, but there isn’t any value at backing Everton at odds of 11-8 with Bet365.

The facts are obvious. Everton has shaky recent form and is facing a tough away trip to a team every bit as strong as them. There may be some value in the draw at 12-5 with PaddyPower. Watford is tough to beat at home and only tend to lose to the top teams. They were beaten at home twice in August by Chelsea and Arsenal but that could be attributed to a slow start to the season. Since then they have only been beaten at Vicarage Road by Stoke City in the Premier League, and only by the odd goal.

Cowboys and Patriots on Course for Super Bowl Battle

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The two favourites for the Super Bowl are in action in the days ahead as the Dallas Cowboys travel to New York while the New England Patriots host fierce rivals the Baltimore Ravens. A couple of weeks ago New England was odds-on in the NFL betting markets to win the Super Bowl, but everything has changed thanks to the superb form of the Cowboys, who now have the best record in the league at 11-1 and have already made it through to the playoffs in style. Injuries to key players like Rob Gronkowski have rocked the Patriots and their odds have gone out to 11/4, while the Cowboys are right behind them at 4/1 now.

Baltimore Ravens at New England Patriots

The Pats beat the Rams last weekend to go 10-2, giving them the joint best record in the AFC. The Raiders are also on 10-2 but have a more difficult fixture list in the last four games of the season, so the Patriots are looking good to secure home advantage throughout the playoffs if they extend their three-game winning streak against the Ravens. You would fancy them to beat the Ravens as they should have a psychological advantage, having beaten them in a thrilling 35-31 encounter in last season’s playoffs. The odds are low on this, however: just 3/10 at Coral and 5/16 at Ladbrokes, so you might consider betting on the spread and it will be tough for the Patriots to cover it. You can get evens on the Ravens +7 and that looks a good bet considering Baltimore are on a two-game winning streak and ran New England very close in their last meeting.

Dallas Cowboys at New York Giants

The Cowboys are the form team in the league right now. After losing the season opener, they have won a remarkable 11 games in a row and have already qualified for the playoffs. They may take a foot off the pedal a bit now, but they still want to keep the confidence surging through the team with more wins, and be assured of home advantage in the playoffs, so they are likely to make life very difficult for the Giants. The Cowboys have a great young roster, full of talented stars like Dez Bryant and Tyron Smith. The Giants, led by veteran quarterback Eli Manning and exciting wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr, are no slouches, but the Cowboys are on a roll right now and should have too much offensive power for them. The Cowboys are 3/5 to win this with 888 Sport and that looks tempting given their incredible form, but you could push it a bit further and back them to cover a -3 spread at 20/23 with Coral.

Futures betting

The Cowboys have such fantastic momentum that it is hard to look past them for the NFC right now. The Seahawks look to be their toughest opponent in the conference, but the Cowboys have proved they can win in style and win ugly and look a good shout at 13/8 with Bet365 to win the NFC Conference and go to the Super Bowl, where their most likely opponent will be New England. The Pats are 21/20 with William Hill to win the AFC, but face ferocious competition from the three teams in the exceptionally strong AFC West – the Raiders, the Chiefs and the Broncos – so that might be best avoided for now, and the 4/1 on the Cowboys winning the Super Bowl looks a good option as their odds keep dwindling.

Black Caps Staring Down The Barrel

Posted on by Online Betting Pro

The Chappell-Hadlee series is already a lost cause for the Black Caps. Heavy losses in games one and two mean the men in black are left playing for pride in the final game of the series in Melbourne tomorrow.

Pride is important though given the magnitude of the losses so far. Especially when you consider the lack of enthusiasm the Black Caps have played with, the uncharacteristic mistakes they’ve made in the field and the strange decision they made behind closed doors (toss decisions and batting order).

We expect the Black Caps to be more competitive in game three, but can they overcome the gulf in class between them and the in-form Australians.

The Series So Far

Australia has already sealed the Chappell-Hadlee series thanks to dominant wins in the opening two games. In both matches, the hosts have scored over 300 runs in impressive batting displays, and in both matches, the Black Caps haven’t got close to getting near their chasing targets.

In Sydney, Australia was led by a huge Steve Smith century. The captain survived a close LBW shout and a difficult dropped catch to bring up ODI century number 7. In reply, only four New Zealanders got themselves to double figures (albeit one of them was the ultra impressive Martin Guptill who scored 114) and the final margin was 68 runs.

In Canberra, it was David Warner’s turn to bring up a personal milestone and provide the backbone of the Australian effort. The nuggety opener scored 119 and was ably supported by Smith, Travis Head and Mitchell Marsh. New Zealand was ragged with ball in hand, sloppy in the field, and ultimately left to rue their decision to bowl first. Despite runs from Guptill, James Neesham and Kane Williamson, the Black Caps lost by 116 runs.

The Teams

Australia (from):

David Warner, Aaron Finch, Steven Smith (capt), George Bailey, Travis Head, Mitchell Marsh, Matthew Wade (wk), James Faulkner, Mitchell Starc, Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood.

Maxwell is likely to miss out again. But Adam Zampa could return on the ground he plays his Big Bash cricket on.

Aaron Finch and George Bailey are the batsmen with the most to prove after missing out in the series so far.

New Zealand (likely):

Kane Williamson (capt), Trent Boult, Lockie Ferguson, Martin Guptill, Colin de Grandhomme, Tom Latham, Colin Munro, Henry Nicholls, Mitchell Santner, Tim Southee, BJ Watling (wk).

Jimmy Neesham might miss out after taking a blow to his arm from Mitchell Starc. Lockie Ferguson could also get another opportunity at the expensive of the disappointing Matt Henry.

The Key Players

Australia

David Warner and Steve Smith- If the Black Caps can get Warner and Smith cheaply they’ll win the game. Okay, it’s not that simple, but these two have scored a combined total of 2386 runs this year – Warner with 1232 and Smith with 1154. Their importance to an Australia win is immense. For Smith, Australia lost nine of those 11 matches when he scored 30 runs or less. For Warner, Australia lost five of those 11 when he scored less than 25. The Black Caps must find a way to stop them if they’re to have any chance in Melbourne.

New Zealand

Martin Guptill – The middle of Martin Guptill’s bat must have taken a battering in the two matches thus far. The Kiwi opener has middled everything and looked the best player in black by the size of some of his sixes. Take the white clothing off him and he’s a freakishly good player. Expect more of the same from him in game three. If he can turn in a Steve Smith type performance – a really big hundred – New Zealand could get the 350+ total they’ll need to avoid a series whitewash.

The Match Odds

Australia – $1.29 at Betstar.

New Zealand – $3.75 at Bookmaker.

The Prediction

It’s not just the first two games in the series that Australia has dominated. They’ve dominated everyone who has travelled to Australia for ODI games over the last two years. Extending the winning run to 17 of the last 18 games at home, Australia has forged a formidable home ground advantage. Expect that to continue in the final match of the series.

The Best Bets

Not much money on Smith, Warner or Guptill to top score here, so you might have to think outside the box to get a decent win banked. Consider Pat Cummins to be in the wickets again, he’s paying $5 to be Australia’s leading wicket taker.

On the New Zealand side, Tim Southee at $4 looks decent odds given he’s the most experienced New Zealand death bowler and could get some cheapie in the slog overs.

Raiders v Chiefs set to be a nailbiter

Posted on by Online Betting Pro

We are entering the business end of the NFL season and a handful of teams have already ensured qualification for the playoffs, but it is crunch time for many teams battling for the final berths. There are some crucial games scheduled in the week ahead, and none more so than the Friday game between Oakland and Kansas City. Here we preview that game and round up a few other important fixtures:

Oakland Raiders at Kansas City Chiefs

There are 64 regular season games left in the AFC and this is arguably the most important. The Raiders and the New England Patriots are both 10-2 and battling it out to earn home advantage should they reach the AFC Championship Game. It could go right to the wire between the Raiders and the Patriots, but Oakland also faces a gruelling battle to win their division, as the Chiefs are close to toppling them. It’s a nightmare for the Raiders to have to travel 1,500 miles on a short week for such a crucial game, but they will have known about this all season and should be suitably prepared.

The AFC West is surely the best division in the NFL by a long stretch, with the Raiders 10-2, the Chiefs 9-3 and the Denver Broncos, last season’s Super Bowl winners, 8-4. No other division in either conference has three teams that are so good, or have such good records. It is unfortunate for them that they are all lumped together. In the division tiebreakers, Kansas City is king, having beaten the Raiders, the Broncos and the Chargers already. They won 26-10 in Oakland earlier this season, and if they can beat the Raiders again in front of their home fans they will go 4-0 in the tiebreakers and move up to 10-3, putting them ahead of the Raiders.

They come into the match having won their last two games and will be full of confidence, but the Raiders are on a six-game winning streak, the best in the conference, so it will be a fascinating battle. As they have home advantage and have already beaten the Raiders this year, the Chiefs are odds-on favourites, best priced at 4/7 with Sky Bet, while the Raiders are 6/4 with Sun Bets and Coral. It is tempting to go for the Chiefs given their dominance in the division head-to-heads, and if you fancy that, you would be advised to take the 15/8 currently available at Betfair on the Chiefs winning the division as that would send them top with three games to go. To get more value, you could go for the Chiefs to cover the -3 spread at 4/5 with Sun Bets, putting an end to the Raiders’ winning run in style.

Other highlights

Over in the NFC the Seahawks travel to the Packers knowing they need a win to keep their hopes of qualifying as the second-best division winner behind the Cowboys. They are 8-3-1 and have the Giants and the Lions, both 8-4 breathing down their necks, so they need to put an end to the Packers’ two-game winning streak. They should get the job done, and the 8/11 available looks a good bet, as does the 5/6 William Hill is offering on them covering the -2.5 spread. The Lions host the Bears and should win it, but the Bears look good to cover the +8 spread at 19/20 with Coral. A fierce battle is taking place between the Falcons and the Buccaneers in their division, and the Falcons should cover a -6 spread at Los Angeles (10/11 with William Hill), while the Buccaneers can also cover a -2.5 spread when they host the Saints, keeping the battle alive for another week.

Can England Save Face in 4th Test Against India

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India will look to wrap up a series win against England when the 4th Test begins on the 8th December in Mumbai. After the drawn first test, the hosts have been well and truly on top since then with convincing back-to-back victories. The major problem for England has been their batting form. England hasn’t reached 300 in any of their previous five innings. The Indian bowlers have been on top so far, and have dominated quite early in England’s previous four innings.

Can England Reverse the Tide?

The question is can England battle back from 2-0 down to gain some credibility in this series? History tells us that when a touring side goes 2-0 down in a five test series, then the series result is a foregone conclusion. It is always difficult for any touring side. The long periods away from home and away from loved ones really takes its toll. It appears that the best that England can hope for is perhaps to win a test and exit India with some credibility. The reality is that England is on the verge of being trounced in India.

Bet365 quote India at just 1-2 to win the 4th Test and that seems fair. Coral quote 9-2 for the draw, while 4-1 for an England win is pretty standard across all of the betting sites, including Boyle Sports. If you are looking for value and want to place a bet on this match then looking at past history, which is usually a pretty reliable guide.

Searching for the Reasons

Listening to the professional analysts pour over the data from the previous three tests is quite interesting. Some of them even quote a case for England clawing their way back into the series. To do that, they would have to win this fourth test! No other result keeps the series alive. While England’s performances haven’t been a disaster, too many players have underperformed so far, while India has had around half a dozen players at the very top of their game.

Whether it is fatigue, good tactics from the Indian bowlers, poor form, or whatever is hard to say. The facts are quite damning and Andrew Strauss has some tough decisions to make that may go way beyond this current series. England has now lost no fewer than eight test matches this year. There is something clearly wrong. When we consider that this is a very talented team on paper, those stats make for grim reading. Not since the 1990’s has England lost so many test matches in a calendar year.

It could mean that the older generation may be coming to an end and are simply mentally worn out by too much test match cricket. It is difficult to see England winning the fourth test. In fact, it is difficult to see England winning a test match in this series at all. If you are looking for a bet, then it would be prudent to avoid betting on England despite the 4-1 odds.

NBA Update: Golden State Warriors in Imperious Form

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We are now a quarter of the way through the NBA regular season and the Golden State Warriors’ imperious form has left them heavy favourites in NBA betting markets to regain the Championship title they won in 2015. They have by far and away the best record in the league and are already odds-on to make up for the heartbreak of losing the NBA Finals to the Cavaliers back in June.

Western Conference

The Warriors, led by the most fearsome attacking triumvirate in basketball, have stormed to the top of their division and built up a considerable lead over the impressive LA Clippers, despite having played fewer games. Devin Durrant, Steph Curry and Klay Thompson are on fire this year, and that is more than making up for a defence that has tailed off slightly after losing Andrew Bogut. At Sun Bets, which offers some of the most competitive NBA prices, they are just 1/25 to win the Pacific Division, with the Clippers out at 8/1. The Warriors are also ahead in the race to win the Western Conference, but the San Antonio Spurs look like giving them a good run for their money. The Spurs are just 1/50 with Sun Bets to win their division and are 5/1 second-favourites for the Western Conference. But the Warriors look all conquering at present and look good for the 4/11 on them winning the Western Conference.

Eastern Conference

Things are a bit more open in the Eastern Conference after a losing streak for leaders the Cavaliers. Last season’s champions are 1/20 to win the Central Division and the bookmakers expect them to win the Eastern Conference, where they too are 4/11 with Sun Bets, thanks largely to the influence of LeBron James. But the Toronto Raptors have embarked on a sensational winning run and look a good outside bet at 10/1 to win it, while the odds of them winning their division – 13/20 with Sun Bets – look fantastic.

Outright

Right now the Warriors are looking untouchable thanks to their superb offence. You can never count the Cavaliers out thanks to James, but the 3/4 Sun Bets has on the Warriors looks the best option right now. If you are looking for more value, the Raptors are an interesting option at 28/1. Their offence is the second highest rated in the league, as is their field goal percentage, and they could well go all the way. The Utah Jazz has maintained a strong record despite injuries to key players Derrick Favors, Gordon Hayward and George Hill, and could be a threat at 66/1 once they get their starters back.

Upcoming games

A mouth-watering clash between divisional rivals the Warriors and Clippers takes place on Thursday. The Warriors have won both times when these two have met this season and should make it three on the bounce, but it should prove a tight game after the last meeting was only decided by a four-point margin. Back the Warriors outright but be wary of the spread. On the same day, the Cavs and the New York Knicks face one another. The Knicks have been average this season but have enjoyed a recent upsurge in form, while the Cavs have struggled. But this could be the perfect game for the Cavs to get their season back on track after they destroyed the Knicks 117-88 in the season opener. They should beat them with ease and cover a high spread.