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.

Man City to Edge a Close One

Posted on by Online Betting Pro

PEP Guardiola faces his first major test in his Manchester City tenure this weekend when his star studded squad host Everton at the Ethihad.

City, lost their unbeaten start to the new season last time out with a 2-0 defeat at Tottenham. That defeat came on the back of a very disappointing 3-3 Champions League draw with Celtic, and now the pressure is on for the Premier League leaders to show what they are all about and bounce back with a win.

Despite the loss at White Hart Lane, City are still the bookies odds-on favourites to win the Premier League title; they are just 1.50 across the board to win at the weekend and it certainly won’t be easy, but they should have enough quality to get back to winning ways.

The major concern for me if you’re considering having a serious wager on City is that they have a huge Champions League match with Barcelona at the Camp Nou on Wednesday night. That might be on Pep’s mind with his team selection ahead of this one, and I am expecting a whole-host of key players to be rested.

Everton haven’t got the best of records in the blue half of Manchester, with no wins in their last seven visits, but they did hold City to a 0-0 draw last year. With City expected to make changes to their lineup, this looks as though it might be another close one.

Ronald Koeman has had a great start to life at Goodison Park. His side arrive at what is their toughest challenge of the new season not in the best of form. After three matches without a win, it’s hard to make any case for them to win this one even at the 7.00 that is available with most firms in their Premier League betting.

Despite all the attacking players that will be on show, goals will be hard to come by, and under 2.5 goals has been a winning bet in the last three Everton matches, plus City might decide to rest their main man Sergio Aguero with Barcelona in midweek.

Four of the last five meetings between these two sides have also seen under 2.5 goals come in, so you may be tempted by the 2.62 with Betfred on under 2.5 goals again.

The evidence edges towards City to snatch a win here, and if they are struggling, they can always call on the big guns to come off the bench and steal the three points for a a 1-0 City win at 10.0 with BetVictor.

Looking Luxe for Less: Spring Racing Fashions on a Shoestring

Posted on by Online Betting Pro

Racegoers are tipped to fork out more than AUD $53 million on fashion and beauty across the Spring Racing Carnival with an average punter spending about AUD $1200 on a single day at the track. But there are plenty of ways to defray the cost without compromising on style and to survive Spring Racing Carnival on a budget.

Fast Fashion

Global retailers H&M, Zara and Topshop now have brick and mortar outlets in Melbourne, and their collaborations with high-end designers make it possible to be both fashion and budget conscious. Homegrown retailers such as Kmart and Target are also offering on-trend race-wear for less than the price of general admission on Derby Day. Most also sell headwear with prices starting at just $10.

Style with a conscience

If you have the time to do a little legwork your Caulfield Cup outfit can boost the community coffers as well as your confidence. Op shops are renowned fashion treasure troves with designer bargains just waiting to be found.

Some, like the Brotherhood of St Laurence specifically cater to the Spring Carnival with shopping tips and examples of racing outfits on the organisation’s website. The advice includes frequent visits to check out new stock and being prepared to try on styles you might not usually consider. Paying close attention to accessories – from retro sunnies and vintage bags for the ladies and fedoras and bow ties for the gents – is also recommended. At least one racing club has embraced the second-hand trend, hosting a Fashions On The Field competition devoted to op shop outfits. Muswellbrook Racing Club in country New South Wales holds an annual Op Shop Fashions on the Field in February. Entrants must provide a receipt to prove that their outfit was purchased at a charity shop.

Hats for hire

Millinery is often the most expensive element of a race day outfit. A frock can easily be worn again, but the cost per wear ratio on hats and fascinators is usually high (unless you’re a Brit with a lot of wedding invitations).

Hiring your headwear is an economical way to look the part without having to invest a lot of money, and you won’t need to find anywhere to store that hatbox when the carnival is over. Online sites such as designerhathire.com and themelbournehatco.com.au specialise in renting designer headwear. Prices start from $60 for a headband or fascinator at Designer Hat Hire, and the site operates a pop-up shop during the Spring Carnival.

The Melbourne Hat Company is even more affordable with a range of crowns and headbands starting at just $30. The business does not charge a deposit and all headwear comes with a plastic hooded poncho to protect it (and you!) from the rain. The Melbourne Hat Company also allows you to hire two pieces at once, perfect for those with invitations to multiple race days. You can also arrange to try on the headpiece before borrowing to ensure it suits you and your outfit. Standard loan times for both sites are three or four days providing ample time to return the piece.

BlueBet Cash Back As Real Money On The Caulfield Cup

Posted on by Online Betting Pro

The Spring Carnival gets into full swing with the running of the 3 million dollar Group 1 Caulfield Cup this Saturday and we BlueBet have plenty of Group 1 promos for you.

Caulfield Cup Money Back – Have a Fixed Odds win bet in the Group 1 Caulfield Cup and if your horse runs 2nd or 3rd you’ll get your money back as real cash – up to $50.

50% First Try Scorer Bonus – Get a 50% cash bonus on the First Try Scorer market in the Kangaroos v Kiwis Rugby League Test match this Saturday – up to $200.

Don’t forget to download the supercharged App for iPhone (http://bit.ly/bluebetios) and Android (http://bit.ly/2cLQnmI). It’s got cash out, rapid payouts, a high powered betslip and our all new social betting platform where you can share tips and winners with your mates!

Caulfield Cup Silverware Heading Abroad Once Again?

Posted on by Online Betting Pro

Barely a decade ago, Caulfield Cup Day was, how should we put this delicately, unpleasant. The Melbourne Racing Club would pack the course tighter than a camel’s backside in a sandstorm. In 2005, more than 50,000 sardines crammed into the Heath to watch Railings win the Caulfield Cup. But the public’s taste for over-priced and over-crowded racedays has waned since those halcyon days of the 2000s so barely 30,000 will watch Saturday’s $3,000,000 BMW Caulfield Cup on track. That means we’re likely to be spared that priceless experience of mile-long bar/tote queues behind thousands of private school kids in dodgy suits with even dodgier IDs.

Aussie thoroughbred royalty

There’s still one place that’s assured to be packed to capacity on Caulfield Cup Day – the barriers for the day’s feature. With the scratching of Fanatic, De Little Engine has earned a call-up to ensure an 18-horse field. The richest 2400m handicap in the world was first run in 1879 when won by Newminster. The honour roll reads like a hall of fame list – from Rising Fast, Tulloch and Galilee to Ming Dynasty, Might And Power and Northerly. Just 11 horses have taken out the Caulfield-Melbourne Cups double in the same year (last achieved in 2001 by Ethereal) while only seven horses have won the race twice.

Dunaden and dusted

The media mercilessly hype the presence of the international runners in town for the Melbourne Cup. History shows that those horses have an abysmal record without a first-up run in Australia, but it’s a much different story when they have their debut run at the 2400m of the Caulfield Cup. Four genuine international runners – Taufan’s Melody (1998), All The Good (2008), Dunaden (2012) and Admire Ratki (2014) – have all shown that it’s possible to win this race without a previous start Down Under. Indeed, the victory of Dunaden stands out as arguably the greatest in the race’s history. A year after he won the Melbourne Cup, Dunaden became the first horse to win the Caulfield Cup from wider than barrier 15 (starting from gate 18), and the first to win after being allotted the top weight at acceptances (58kg).

Taking on the favourite

It’s virtually impossible to draw an accurate speedmap for this year’s Cup, but it certainly looms as a year where the visitors could pinch another win. Jameka (gate 13) is an easing $4.00 favourite with Ladbrokes and she leads a fairly lacklustre bunch of local contenders. The 4yo mare’s only win at this distance was her plodding effort on a bog track in last year’s VRC Oaks. She looked terrific when second to Hartnell in the Turnbull (2000m) after crushing the G3 Naturalism (2000m) field at Caulfield two back. However, barrier 13 is a tricky alley, and Nicholas Hall may struggle to have her better than three-out in the running. She’s a clear top pick among the Aussies but unders at 3-1.

Scottish the one to beat

The money has started to trickle in the direction of Scottish, but it’s likely to be more of a flood closer to the jump. The Irish-bred 5yo gelding for Charlie Appleby and the Godolphin team should be closer to the speed than the bulk of his UK rivals. He has been to 2400m before with the highlight a 1.5-length second to Highland Reel, with five lengths back to third. All four of his wins have been on firm ground, and he’ll get a good (3-4)run with mild conditions forecast for Melbourne over the next 48 hours. Metropolitan winner Sir John Hawkwood offers the best value at $15 (William Hill).

WBA vs. Tottenham: Will the Baggies Rise to the Challenge?

Posted on by Online Betting Pro

Saturday, October 15 at The Hawthorns it’s all set to go down between West Brom and Tottenham. Despite being separated by seven places in the league, both teams will know that even the slightest misstep could prove costly when the action gets underway at 15:00 local time.

As ever, the Internet’s top bookmakers are dusting off their record books, surveying the latest form and coming up with hundreds of betting markets for the match. However, before we get into the best Premier League bets this weekend, let’s first take a look at the footballing prospect in front of us.

The Momentum Lies with Tottenham

On first inspection, this should prove to be a routine win for Tottenham. Fresh off a 2-0 whitewash of Man City, Spurs are currently enjoying a rich vein of form that’s seen them climb to second in the table. Indeed, with Son Heung-min taking everyone by surprise with his goal scoring prowess (he scored two of the best goals in September) and the backline only conceding three in seven, things are certainly looking rosy for the Lilywhites.

But, as is often the case in the Premier League, nothing is ever certain and West Brom could easily cause an upset. Listening to Captain Darren Fletcher talk ahead of the game, this is easy to believe. Pointing to his side’s impressive draw against Tottenham last season (the draw which virtually ended Spurs’ dreams of winning the league), Fletcher believes his players rise to the occasion.

Being in front of a home crowd and with a place in the top five still very much a possibility, West Brom won’t want to give anything away in this match, and that could inspire everyone to up their effort. Another positive for The Baggies is that Craig Gardner recently signed a new two-year contract.

The 29-year-old midfielder might not be a marquee name who’s capable of setting the pitch alight, but his solid frame and experience make him a valuable asset to the team. In fact, in big games against big sides, it’s often the elder statesmen like Gardener who can come on and make the difference. Whether that’s putting in some crunch tackles when the team is on a low or whether it’s a cool head when the side is protecting a narrow lead, a senior player like Gardner is also worth having in the squad.

Do the Stats Tell a Scary Story?

However, if you move away from emotions and personalities, there’s one fact that could prove problematic for West Brom: goals against. Heading into the game, West Brom have conceded seven goals which, ironically, is the same number of goals Tottenham have scored away. If you believe in omens then this could be a signal that suggests West Brom will be penetrated at every opportunity. However, if you’re slightly less superstitious but still like to rely on the numbers, it does appear that West Brom’s resolve might be tested on Saturday.

Since we know that Spurs don’t seem to have a problem scoring away from home, it’s fair to say that the over on 2.5 goals at even money with Sun Bets isn’t a bad wager. If you wanted to take this idea a step further, Sky Bets’ exactly 1 goal at 7/2 or exactly 2 goals at 9/4 could be worth a shout.

If you want to move away from the specifics and be a bit more general, bet365 is currently offering 4/1 on a home win, 14/5 on a draw and 13/20 on an away win. Given what we’ve said about West Brom rising to the occasion against top teams (as they did last season), this seems like a massive price. Of course, if you wanted to hedge your bets, 13/10 on a West Brom win or draw seems like a fair price. Indeed, despite Tottenham’s propensity to score away from home this season, West Brom haven’t exactly been shy of goals either (eight in total) which may mean a 1-1 draw will be the order of the day on Saturday.

For the latest Premier League bets and bonuses, make sure you check out our recommended sites by following our secure sign-up links.

Can Swansea City Deny the Gunners at Emirates Stadium?

Posted on by Online Betting Pro

After finishing second last season in the Premier League to Leicester City, Arsenal fans will be looking for another strong season this term. They currently stand third in the league, and Wenger’s lads are only 2pts behind a Manchester City team that have kicked off the season like a house on fire.

The Emirates Stadium seems to be a challenging place to visit. The lesser teams struggle there, even though Liverpool did a seriously good job at pulling Arsenal’s teeth, when they scraped through with a 4-3 win. Swansea City is a team in crisis. They never really recovered after losing managers Brendan Rodgers and then Garry Monk, plus the Swans eventually decided not to appoint Ryan Giggs after dispensing with Francesco Guidolin.

Can Swansea deny The Gunners?

It is really tough to state a case for Swansea on Saturday, and new manager Bob Bradley is walking straight into a baptism of fire in this fixture. Swansea has only picked up 4pts all season and is currently fourth from bottom of the league on goal difference from West Ham.

It seems certain that this fixture will arouse the attention of all those punters that fancy having Arsenal as part of their accumulator. So where is the value? Most betting firms have Arsenal as short as 2/7 with both Stan James and Sky Bet offering those odds. Many people may even think that price represents value and will give Swansea no chance.

What Price the Swans?

BetVictor offers a best priced 12/1 on a Swansea City victory. That’s not a bad price considering that Southampton only lost 2-1 at The Emirates a short while ago. Arsenal can be notoriously inconsistent and a better wager could come from one of the other markets.

For example, do you fancy Arsenal to dominate possession? Do you also fancy Arsenal to be frustrated? If so then why not back the draw at 5/1? Once again BetVictor is the best price in that market as it stands.

Will Bradley get his tactics right?

There couldn’t be a stiffer test for US coach Bob Bradley to have in the Premier League for his opening game. Swansea will hardly touch the ball for long periods of the game. They are many peoples’ pick to be relegated this season. Turbulent seasons tend not to make for consistency, and this is what is required in order to stay in the league.

Added Incentives

Any negative result on Saturday could see Swansea drop into the bottom three. From that position, it is difficult to see them anywhere else but in the bottom six for the rest of the season. The key will be the first twenty minutes. If Arsenal scores quickly, then this result could become embarrassing for Swansea.

However, should Swansea get to half-time nil-nil, then they’re in with a chance. A big added incentive for Arsenal in this game is the chance to go top of the league. If Manchester City slips up at home to Everton, this is precisely what could happen.

If you think that Arsenal at home to Swansea is a home banker then place your bet. You may find it difficult this season to get a bigger gap between the home and away side than in this fixture. This is both in terms of league position and player confidence. However, Swansea City have absolutely nothing to lose and they may just cause a shock……just don’t count on it!