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

Tottenham and Man City Need to Bounce Back

Posted on 2016-10-28 by Online Betting Pro

The 2016/17 Premier League season may just turn out to be the most unpredictable league season on record. No fewer than six teams are in with a shout of winning the title, but which six you may ask?

In the past, perhaps two or three teams had a chance of taking home the big prize. This season is a different story. Would you bet against Liverpool, Man City, Arsenal, Tottenham, Chelsea or Man United winning the title next May?

Spurs Need to Exercise the Ghost

The ghost of last seasons’ poor finish to the season that handed Leicester City the title still haunts the fans at White Hart Lane. Tottenham always flatter to deceive but then crack when the pressure is on. They were held to a 0-0 draw at Bournemouth last weekend. So, getting all three points at home to Leicester on Saturday holds even more importance now.

The problem for Spurs is that the Foxes are coming into form. Leicester have been winning game after game in the Champions League. They also beat Crystal Palace 3-1 last weekend. Tottenham are firm favourites at 4/6 with William Hill, while Leicester City can be backed at 5/1 with Betfred.

The best price on the draw is 14/5 with Boyle Sports, and opposing Tottenham is probably where the value is. Tottenham are strong at home and have recently beaten Pep Guardiola’s Man City, but Leicester City are the champions and that shouldn’t be forgotten.

Man City Badly Need a Win

Man City were absolutely brilliant in all competitions until they recently went to Celtic Park in the Champions League. That 3-3 draw against Celtic was the start of a five game winless run. Pep Guardiola now needs a big result away to West Brom on Saturday. If City fail to win again, this could signal a crisis at the Etihad!

The number of individual errors that City players are making is growing in number. It is too early to suggest that City have a problem, but they certainly need a win against West Brom. Pep’s boys are 2/5 with Betfred, but those odds seem terribly short.

West Brom are strong at home and can be backed at 15/2 once again with Betfred. The best odds for the draw are 7/2 with Stan James. It seems that the short odds for City are based on their early season form.

Current Form is a More Accurate Indicator

If you want to find a good value bet current form reveals more clues than league position. Man City are still top of the league, but their form isn’t that of table toppers. The recent City performances seem to indicate that all is not well with Guardiola’s team of would be champions. City are deservedly favourites against West Brom, but a City victory is far from certain.

It’s Top Hat and Tails for Victoria Derby Day

Posted on 2016-10-27 by Online Betting Pro

AAMI Victoria Derby was once hailed as the greatest day of racing on the Australian turf calendar but like any major sporting event, it doesn’t hurt to tweak with the product to keep it fresh and relevant. Sydney stole the march on the Victoria Racing Club when it created its new autumn showpiece, The Championships, but credit to the VRC for a timely reboot of Derby Day. It’s still Group racing from top to bottom but bolstered by the addition of the AUD $1 million Cantala (formerly Emirates) Stakes over a mile.

That makes it four Groups 1s for the day – along with the $1.5 million AAMI Victoria Derby, there’s the Coolmore Stud Stakes for the three-year-old sprinters and the weight-for-age Myer Stakes for the fillies and mares. The forecast looks perfect too, with fine and mild conditions, a track rated a good (4) and the rail in the true position.

Vase form again looks priceless

The Victoria Derby pre-dates the Melbourne Cup by six years making it one of the oldest races in the world. The Derby is always a tricky affair to cap. The 2500m is a distance over which the bulk of the field haven’t been previously tested. It’s also a race where the jockey factor is way higher than normal. The successful hoop not only has to nurse his or her charge through an arduous staying test, but other runners slipping off the pace on the long Flemington straight fall back at an alarming rate.

Given the short run to the first turn, inside barriers have a significant advantage. The top rated Sacred Elixir ($3.10 favourite with William Hill) endured an ugly ride from Damian Lane in the G2 Vase (2040m) last week at Moonee Valley but still won with half-a-length to spare and again looks hard to toss.

Look to the lightweights in G1 mile

While there are only a handful of legitimate contenders in the Derby, the former Emirates (now Cantala) Stakes is a lottery for the country’s best milers at handicap conditions chasing a first prize of AUD $1 million. Nine years ago, Nikita Beriman became the first female jockey to win a Group 1 race in Victoria when she took out the 2007 edition on $101 chance Tears I Cry. Indeed, outsiders have fared well in this race, with 11 winners at $15 or over.

This race is normally a benefit for backmarkers, but Flemington tends to favour on-speed runners early in Cup week. The United States ($6 with Ladbrokes) makes a logical favourite based on his win in the G2 Crystal Mile at Moonee Valley last week, but closely consider the chances of Seaburge. He flashed home to just miss out in the Caulfield Guineas and carries just 50.5kg from barrier 2 here.

3yo sprint among Cup week highlights

If it runs up to expectation, the Coolmore Stud Stakes could be the race of the week. A very impressive class of two-year-olds are showing every sign that they’ll carry their form into their three-year-old season. Only two of the 10 runners have experienced the Flemington ‘Straight Six’ prior, with Saracino and Archives filling the quinella in the G2 Danehill on September 10. But the quality of the rest can’t be dismissed, highlighted by Golden Slipper winner Capitalist and Blue Diamond victor Extreme Choice (the $3 favourite with William Hill).

The real eye-catcher is Star Turn, a $4.40 hope for Team Hawkes from barrier 4. The Star Witness colt rated off the charts in his G3 San Domenico (Rosehill) and G2 Schillaci (Caulfield) victories and should have beaten Astern in the G2 Runto Rose in between those wins. He profiles very nicely for the ultimate sprint test in Australian thoroughbred racing.

Key Tips for a Winning Betting Mindset

Posted on 2016-10-272016-11-15 by Online Betting Pro

Many sports bettors just aren’t looking at things from the right angle.

Unless you enter the world of sports betting in the right frame of mind, then you are almost destined to struggle achieving success. To make money betting on sports, you need to think differently, to adopt new ways of thinking, and sometimes even to be counter intuitive.

Mindset – The Foundation of Success

Your mindset is simply a way of thinking that determines your behaviour, your outlook and your mental attitude. For any given set of betting events and their different outcomes, i.e. wins, losses, setbacks, and mistake, your mindset is the factor determining how you will respond to them. It’s the middleman between the events that happen to you and your reactions to those events. Your mindset can help you to be successful in your sports betting, or it can be the barrier that’s keeping you in the stalls unable to get out of the gate.

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There are several important cogs in the wheel that contribute to a true winning mindset when it comes to sports betting:

1. Take personal responsibility for your betting performance and results

Think back to a time when you had a losing bet or had a bad betting day. Who or what was the cause of the result you got? The bookie? The exchange? The horse? The team? The computer you were using? The room you were in? The weather? The dog ate your homework…I mean your form guide?

No, that’s right. You must understand that you, and you alone, are responsible for your own results. Your betting outcomes are your own creation. It is easy to find some other cause for your poor performance. We can all create stories that shift the focus and lay blame on an outside source and complain about a good bet that still lost.

Know that this is perfectly fine, and is likely to happen a lot. But instead of spitting the dummy and throwing away your bankroll in a tantrum, accept this as an opportunity for you to grow and learn what types of bets you should perhaps avoid in the future.

2. Becoming a Master of Betting

A mastery approach makes personal growth your number one priority. It allows you to make mistakes while focusing on a process of continual learning and development.

When you adopt a mastery approach, betting becomes a series of chances to improve, to develop new skills and understanding. Feedback from each bet and each day is important to development, and those with a mastery approach see feedback as an opportunity to learn, develop and improve performance.

A true master watches his own performance, and pays little attention to others or their opinions. They are always willing to accept responsibility for any outcome that they influenced, good or bad.

3. Embrace Risk and Come to Terms with Uncertainty

Sports betting is a risk taking endeavour, it is how you are rewarded, and if you want to be successful, then being able to embrace risk is key.

Don’t be afraid of risk. As a sports bettor, you are at the core a risk taker. Welcome risk, just as you will welcome the rewards that accompany it.

Sporting events are never a “sure thing”, and uncertainty is not an easy concept to deal with. Most of us fear the unknown, but would we really want to know what’s going to happen all the time, or would that remove the whole point, diluting the challenge, and the joy of the rewards?

Understand that you will never know for sure what is going to happen next, and in fact you don’t actually need to in order to be successful and profitable. Some sports bettors are addressing uncertainty and randomness by moving more towards sports trading approaches, backing and laying, trading in and out, taking profits at pre-chosen prices and not just waiting for the final outcome.

4. Focus on Managing Risk Not Picking Winners

A common misconception is that the primary focus should be on picking winners. However, to enjoy long term success in betting, you’ll need to shift your focus to managing your risk, and controlling losses rather than just on picking as many winners as possible. This leaves you open to continual learning that keeps you in the game, and enables you to improve your betting skills and become more profitable over time. Join Unibet today for the best tips to reduce your risk and start betting with a matched bonus up to $300.

5. Bet for Profits Not Fun

It might sound like a foreign concept, but some people like to bet just for ‘fun’. Ask yourself if your goal is having a bit of fun or to make some money?

Those who make bets for fun and excitement are less disciplined and more casual with their wagers as opposed to bettors that are looking to make a profit. So, if you’re looking to make a living from sports betting, you need to approach it as a business, and bet only for profit, never for the thrill and excitement of the punt! Focus on the flawless execution of your betting strategy.

6. Don’t Look for the Quick Buck

If making money from your sports betting is the objective, then take a big picture approach to your wagers and think long term. As with the tortoise and the hare, slow and steady wins the race. This might seem difficult to accept, particularly in today’s age of instant gratification and fast food, but it really is the only way you will survive over the long haul and become a successful sports bettor.

7. Enjoy Small Wins

When you’re a new bettor, any victory feels like Christmas! But over time, small wins just don’t give you the same adrenaline rush and satisfaction that you once got as a less experienced bettor. Don’t make the mistake of throwing more cash on certain games simply because you want to cash in big!

Many successful sports betters achieve their results by having multiple small wins that outweigh their small losses. They are risk managers. They enjoy the process of winning and get their buzz from seeing their bank balance grow over time, and not from one-off short term quick fixes.

8. Respect Your Bankroll

Money can have emotional and psychological effects on people and the decisions they make. How you think about money can affect how you bet and the outcomes you get.

Manage your betting bankroll as if your life depended on it. Don’t bet big in an effort to recoup a handful of losses in one fell swoop and don’t ‘over-bet’ what you know logically that you can’t afford to lose. Respect your money, and always remember that if you take care of your bankroll, long term it will take care of you too. Get off to a flying start with Sportsbet, enjoy a matched bonus bet up to a massive $501! Click here to Join today.

9. Believe you can be a winner

Do you believe it is possible to win at sports betting? At the end of the day, it’s all about the mindset. If you believe you can be successful at sports betting, then you are half way there.

Like a successful athlete, you’ve got to believe in yourself and your ability to emerge with the win. Plus, don’t forget that the availability and accessibility of information and data today has significantly increased to give you an extra edge.

Why not take the opportunity to exercise your winning mindset this Emirates Stakes Day at Ladbrokes. You’ll find more information, data and analysis available about Spring Carnival than at any other time of the year. So, take advantage of the insight available to you, put some our nine keys to the test, and see if you come out ahead at the end of the Carnival.

Just remember that success in sports betting is possible; you may be able to achieve it yourself, but it will take time and effort, it will take a professional approach, and it will take discipline. To start becoming a winning bettor, sign up here with William Hill and enjoy a bonus bet equal to your first deposit up to $500!

Scotland Facing Massive Task in Four Nations Debut

Posted on 2016-10-26 by Online Betting Pro

The term David and Goliath has taken on new meaning in modern times. It’s now a familiar description of an underdog facing off against an unbackable favourite, and in the case of the Four Nations openers between Australia and Scotland, it is particularly apt.

The teams have never met before in international rugby league, however, the world rankings tell a pretty significant story. Top-ranked Australia, the current world champions, and two-time winners of the competition, are pitted against the 9th best team in the World; a team that hasn’t played in the competition before.

It looks to be an almighty task for little David.

Scotland qualified for the tournament for the first time thanks to their victory in the 2014 European Cup. They qualified by beating France, Ireland, and Wales who are all ranked above them in the world rankings. However, their task is considerably tougher this time around against even better opponents.

Let’s take a look at the key talking points ahead of the Round 1 clash:

Teams

Australia: Matt Moylan, Josh Mansour, Justin O’Neill, Josh Dugan, Blake Ferguson, James Maloney, Cooper Cronk, Aaron Woods, Cameron Smith (c), David Klemmer, Sam Thaiday, Tyson Frizell, Jake Trobojevic. Interchange: Jake Friend, Shannon Boyd, Trent Merrin, Michael Morgan, Valentine Holmes. (one to be omitted).

Scotland: Danny Addy, Dale Ferguson, Ben Kavanagh; Frankie Mariano; Luke Douglas, Ryan Brierley, Danny Brough (c); Adam Walker; Billy McConnachie; Liam Hood; Ben Hellewell; Sheldon Powe-Hobbs; Lachlan Coote, Kane Linnett; Euan Aitken; Matthew Russell; Sam Brooks; Lewis Tierney; Callum Phillips.

Team Selection Talking Points

Australia: As expected, Mal Meninga has handed a swathe of players representative debuts. Moylan, Maloney, O’Neill, Trobojevic and Friend will all suit up for Australia for the first time in a move that ensures that the entire Kangaroos squad sees some action in the tournament. The team is in no way demonstrative of a complacent attitude towards the Scots, rather it sets out the significant strength of the Australian 24-man squad.

Scotland: Crafty Matty Russell misses out to Coote at fullback, but has shifted to the wing to complete an impressive back three when premiership winner Lewis Tierney is added to the mix as well. The centre pairing of Aitken and Linnet is strong. And keep an eye out for Tyler Cassel who has been in and around the West Tigers set up for some time.

It’s a shame that Peter Wallace and Keith Galloway aren’t available.

Form

Australia: W, W, L, L, W, W

Scotland: L, L, L, L, W, W

Odds

Australia: $1.01 across the board.

Scotland: $41 at bet365

Prediction and Tips

There’s little chance of an upset in this one. In the four previous editions of the Four Nations tournament, no team out of PNG, Samoa, Wales or France has been able to get the better of one of the big three. Therefore, you might need to get creative if you’re going to take any money from your bookmaker in Four Nations betting. Consider the $1.90 on offer at bet365 if there is under 64.5 points scored in the game – as a comparison, in their last match against anyone other than NZ, Australia beat Samoa 44-18 (62 points). Or you can have a read through our preview of the New Zealand / England matchup and put together a higher paying multi bet.

At the Races: Staying Stylish in Rain, Hail or Shine

Posted on 2016-10-26 by Online Betting Pro

There’s no such thing as a sure bet when it comes to Melbourne weather. And that old saying “Don’t like the weather? Just wait five minutes”, was most likely coined in spring. The only way to counter the sports capital’s unpredictable climate is to be prepared for anything….and pack an umbrella!

Layer upon layer

Staying stylish trackside can be problematic, but Melbourne Cup Week fashion just takes some planning. Most race days start early and finish late so a jacket or light- weight coat will offset a cool morning- at either end of the adventure. Borrowing your partner’s suit jacket when the weather heads south is a no-no, so plan to take your own option. Keep proportions in mind when adding a coat to ensure the whole look is consistent. You don’t want that extra layer to look like an after thought. Mid-length skirts or dresses with a pencil skirt look best with a short tailored coat or jacket. If you’re wearing a full skirt look for a short coat or jacket with a defined waist. And a tuxedo blazer will take your jumpsuit to the next level.

In the trenches

A trench is the perfect option and is always in style. There are myriad colours and cuts in stores at the moment, so it shouldn’t be too hard to find something to suit your style and budget. Just watch the length. If it finishes above the knee, your skirt should be longer than the coat to avoid looking like you have nothing on underneath! The downside to a trench is that it covers most of your outfit, which isn’t ideal if you keep it on all day. Consider wearing it open with the belt tied loosely behind your back, or replace the belt with a scarf that ties in colours from your headpiece

Here comes the sun

What do you do with those extra layers when the sun makes an appearance? Flemington has free cloakrooms available for all racegoers throughout Cup Week. They are located in both the members and public areas. If you forget to collect your items at the end of the meeting, they will be held for 30 days and can be picked up on other race days, or between 8.30am and 4.30pm, Monday to Friday.

Hold on to your hats

Unless you want to spend the day chasing your hat, spend some time making sure it is secure before you leave home. Quality pieces generally have built in anchors, such as combs, fascinator clips, elastics and even Velcro strips. Look for these additions when buying your headwear and figure out how they work before the wind picks up. A simple up do provides more options for attaching your headpiece and is easier to control on the day. Finish the hairstyle with a dry spray wax (before adding the hat!) to protect against wind and rain and slip some bobby pins into your bag for emergency adjustments.

Keep it clean

A beautiful pair of satin or fabric pumps won’t look so pretty when they have been trudging through mud. Leather is much easier to clean and can even be spruced up trackside with a baby wipe. No matter the forecast, always apply a water proofing spray at least 24 hours ahead of time. It will protect against grass stains on neutral coloured shoes and spilled beverages.

Always wear sunscreen

Never skip this step of your preparation. You can still get burnt on a cloudy day. Use an SPF moisturiser on your face neck and ears and a quality, lightweight sunscreen for your legs, arms and shoulders. Melt proof make up and waterproof mascara is also a good idea.

Melbourne Cup Carnival an Event for Everyone

Posted on 2016-10-25 by Online Betting Pro

For the hardcore punters, Melbourne’s Spring Racing Carnival is a three-month long festival of black-type racing and a celebration of the champions of the Australasian turf. But for the majority of those with just a passing interest in the sport of kings, the four days of the Melbourne Cup Carnival at Flemington are about as long as their attention span (and funds) will stretch.

It’s not hard to see where the Victoria Racing Club (VRC) focusses its energies either, with nary a mention or image of a thoroughbred racehorse on their homepage. But despite interest waning over the past decade (attendances have dropped about 25 per cent in that period, down from a staggering 418,069 in 2006), this four-day festival is, for the bulk of the Australian population, the only time they’ll pick up a form guide each year.

WFA feature highlights carnival finale

The structure of the Melbourne Cup Carnival has changed little in recent history – AAMI Victoria Derby on the first Saturday (October 29 this year), Emirates Melbourne Cup Day on the first Tuesday in November, Crown Oaks Day on Thursday (November 3) and Emirates Stakes Day on the final Saturday (November 5).

But in a significant change this year, the Emirates Stakes has been shifted to Derby Day and renamed the Cantala Stakes (it remains a Group 1 race over 1600m). Confusingly, the VRC have shifted the L.K.S. MacKinnon Stakes from Derby Day to the final day, and have renamed it the Emirates Stakes! It remains a weight-for-age race over 2000 metres although prizemoney has been boosted to AUD $2 million. It was hoped that dual Cox Plate winner Winx would run, but she’s been sent to the paddock after last Saturday’s remarkable win.

An appropriate arena for racing royalty

In stark contrast to the tight and tricky Moonee Valley layout around which Winx again smashed her rivals, Flemington is all about space. The course proper is just over 2300m and features one tight corner just after the winning post, and a sweeping turn from the 1300m mark until the start of the home straight around 500m from home.

Uniquely, all races up to 1200m are run down Flemington’s famous ‘Straight Six’, culminating in the AUD $1,000,000 Group 1 Darley Classic on the final day of the carnival. It’s quite a sight (and a racecaller’s nightmare) to see runners spread right across the track in search of the best ground. The Melbourne Cup combines both courses, starting at the 1000m mark before runners complete a full circuit of the main track to complete the most famous 3200 metres in the sport.

155 years on, it’s still that race that stops a nation

The highlight of the week is, of course, the AUD $6 million Emirates Melbourne Cup. One of the world’s great handicap contests, the Melbourne Cup is also much more than a horse race – it’s a revered sporting, social and cultural event, that continues to play a significant role in defining Australia’s national identity.

Scores of TAB and picnic race meetings across the nation (almost 50 this year), along with thousands of office parties and BBQs on Melbourne Cup Day help define the event as the race that truly stops the nation. At second acceptances on Monday, 32 horses remain in contention for one of the 24 starting positions. Hartnell, which finished eight lengths second to Winx in Saturday’s Cox Plate, is the $4.60 favourite with William Hill ahead of Caulfield Cup winner Jameka ($6.50). Saturday’s Lexus Stakes is the last chance to earn a guaranteed start.

Author: Online Betting Pro