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.

March Madness: Sweet 16 is Set and Betting Frenzy Continues

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We are now into the second week of March Madness and the Sweet 16 is set, with only the NCAA’s top teams left standing. They are now just four games away from winning the NCAA Championship and enjoying hero status in their respective hometowns. But this year’s tournament is ferociously competitive, and the eventual winner will have to fight every inch of the way.

Futures Update

Three-quarters of the teams have been eliminated from March Madness and only the strongest are left. There have been some huge upsets along the way, particularly in the East, where defending champion Villanova and pre-season favourite Duke have both already been knocked out. Wisconsin, Florida, and South Carolina are now fighting it out there, and it now looks the weakest region. In the other three regions the big guns have made it through: Kansas is still standing in the Midwest, in the West the prospect of Gonzaga and Arizona meeting in the Elite Eight looks a distinct possibility still, and North Carolina, UCLA and Kentucky are all through in the South.

Despite having the hardest run to the Big Dance (for the uninitiated it goes First Round, Second Round, Sweet 16, Elite Eight, Final Four and the Big Dance), North Carolina is still the favourite at 6/1 with Ladbrokes. At those odds, it looks risky. The Tar Heels should beat fourth-seeded Butler but then will face either UCLA or Kentucky, both of whom could easily knock them out. Gonzaga is second favourite, 7/1 with Sky Bet, but it too has a nightmare road to the final, with the Arizona Wildcats (8/1 with Ladbrokes) in the way. The winner is unlikely to come from the East, where the best-priced team is Baylor, trading up to 33/1. A shrewd bet could be Kansas, 11/2 with Bet365, which has arguably the easiest run. Purdue is a strong team but beatable, and then they would have to overcome Oregon or Michigan to make the Final Four. You can also go each-way and get half the odds if they make the final. An interesting long-shot could be UCLA, 16/1 with Bet Victor, which has an incredible offence and could be dangerous in the West.

Upcoming Games

The first four Sweet 16 games take place on Friday and feature the two favourites in Kansas and Gonzaga. Both face tough games. Gonzaga is up against the strongest fourth seed, West Virginia, which annihilated Notre Dame with its pressing defence. It is likely to be a close encounter, but the Zags should scrape it (13/20 with Bet Victor). Kansas plays Purdue, a dark horse for the tournament thanks to its formidable front court and the form of Caleb Swanigan. The Jayhawks should get the job done (4/9 with Bet365) but Purdue -5 looks an interesting spread at 20/21 with Ladbrokes. Arizona should beat Xavier (2/7 with Bet365), so a treble of Arizona-Kansas-Gonzaga looks good, but Michigan v Oregon looks too close to call so is probably best avoided.

World’s Best Golfers Switch to Match Play in Texas

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We’re lucky to get one of the most exciting events on tour this week as the format switches to match play. Match play brings out the best (and worst) of some players and the unpredictability will make it a fascinating watch.

The Course

Overlooking Lake Austin, the Austin Country Club in Texas is a 7,073 yard, par 71 challenge founded in 1899 (though the course has moved a couple of times since then). The course mixes lowlands and highlands, making it relatively unique for the state and a challenge for players. Aggressive play here can be rewarded (see Rory McIlroy’s highlights from last year), but can also be severely penalised with the closely mown catchment areas around the greens and multiple hazards.

The Defending Champion

Jason Day backed up a win a week earlier at the Arnold Palmer by winning the 2016 matchplay edition and climb to the top of the world golf rankings. Jason Day got through his group that included Graeme McDowell, Thongchai Jade and Paul Casey, before defeating Brandt Snedeker, Brooks Koepka, and McIlroy in the knockout stages. His match against McIlroy was an instant classic which Day took out with a 12-foot par putt on the final hole.

In the final, he beat South Africa’s Louis Oosthuizen by 5&4, capping off an incredible effort against the toughest field in golf. We don’t think Day is good value this year. He’s at $17 but has too little competitive golf under his belt to go all the way this week.

The Contenders*

Dustin Johnson $9

After winning his last two starts at the Genesis Open and the WGC Mexico Championship, he’s trying to become first to win three consecutive starts since Rory McIlroy in 2014. Huge chance to win back to back WGCs.

Rory McIlroy $8

A beaten semi-finalist last year and a massive matchplay threat. Thrives in the format and his Ryder Cup singles match against Patrick Reed will go down as one of the greatest matches in the history of the format. Fourth last week.

Louis Oosthuizen $56

Match play specialist Oosthuizen has warmed up for the event with 3rd at the Waste Management Open. A top five in the ISPS Handa World Super 6 and a top ten at the Nedbank in South Africa round off a well-travelled, high performing last few months.

Patrick Reed $41

In horrible form this year, with just one top ten and lying a lowly 75th in the FedEx Cup, but is a true competitor in the match play format and it could bring out the best in him. Round of 16 last year before losing to DJ.

An Byeong-Hun $111

A slightly left-field tip is the South Korean 25-year old An Byeong-Hun who made the last 16 before succumbing to injury and conceding to Cabrera-Bello. Not enjoying the best season on TOUR this year, but could get through a group that features, like he did last year.

*Odds from Bet365.

The Winner

Hard to choose between McIlroy and Dustin Johnson, the huge hitters that intimidate others with their length. But we’ll go McIlroy again this week – just a little better in facets of the game that don’t involve the driver.

NBA Betting: Elite Teams Struggling as Playoffs Loom

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There is now less than a month until the end of the regular season and the league’s elite teams have started playing a long game. This has seen the likes of the Golden State Warriors, the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Washington Wizards all suffer a slump as they surrender to fatigue and complacency. They already have one eye on the playoffs and are trying to ensure they are in ship shape come mid-April, so now can be a good time to bet against them covering the spread.

Top Teams Struggling

No top team is in a greater period of malaise than Golden State, hit by injury to Kevin Durant and enduring its worst spell since Steve Kell took over as head coach in 2014. The Warriors lost three times in a row – against the Celtics, Timberwolves and Spurs – and then, as we predicted last week, failed to cover the spread against Philadelphia. Golden State has since bounced back with heavy wins over Orlando and Milwaukee, but it could be worth opposing them in spread betting over the next couple of weeks. Ditto the Cavs, who have regularly failed to cover the spread of late. The Wizards have also lost focus and dropped against teams with losing marks.

Teams Finding Form

As the elite teams have suffered, some teams further down the conferences are finding their feet and making a late push for the playoffs. In the east, it is Miami and Milwaukee. At 7-3 and 8-2 respectively, they have the best recent records in the conference and both look set for the postseason. Milwaukee is really one to watch, driven by Giannis Antetokounmpo, who is on course to be the first player ever to finish the regular season in the top 20 for points, rebounds, assists, steals and blocks. In the west, the Denver Nuggets and Portland Trail Blazers are both 7-3 in 10, and only the San Antonio Spurs can match that.

Futures Update

The recent struggles of Golden State have opened the door for the in-form Spurs. They have a head-to-head advantage over the Warriors and look set to steal top seed in the west if things continue as they are, so the 4/1 Ladbrokes is offering on them winning the east looks interesting. The Cavs’ inconsistency and the Wizards’ recent woes have left the Boston Celtics as the form team of the east and the 7/1 at Sky Bet on them taking that conference is another intriguing option.

Upcoming Games

Golden State travel to Dallas to face the Mavericks on Wednesday, and Dallas is the league’s fifth-best team for covering the spread, so that looks a great bet. Antetokounmpo’s in-form Bucks play the Kings in Sacramento on Thursday and should win that outright, and cover a modest spread. The Nuggets look a great bet to cover the spread against the Cavs that day too, while on Friday a Spurs-Celtics-Trail Blazers outright treble looks a good option as all three are playing well.

Gum Boots A Better Option For Golden Slipper Day

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Mother Nature must have taken a beating at some point in the recent history of the Sydney autumn carnival as she’s again taking out her frustrations on the already sodden tracks of the Harbour City. With rain continuing to soak the northern half of the state, track conditions are almost certain to stay in the heavy range for Saturday’s massive Golden Slipper meeting at Rosehill Gardens. As if it’s not hard enough to find a winner on a day featuring five Group 1s with more than AUD $8 million in prize money up for grabs. The Golden Slipper was first held in 1957. The inaugural winner Todman (ridden by Neville Sellwood) triumphed by eight lengths at the odds of 1-6!

Take on the Favourite

In the Slipper’s 60-year history, colts have won on 28 occasions with fillies close behind on 25 (seven geldings have taken out the race). Vancouver (2015) was the most recent of the 18 favourites who’ve emerged victorious. Last year’s winner Capitalist was the first two-year-old to sweep the Listed Breeders’ Plate, Gold Coast Magic Millions Classic, and Golden Slipper. Current favourite Houtzen also won the Magic Millions on the Gold Coast in January but the undefeated filly, which carried 63kg in her most recent victory, has drawn barrier 16 of 19. On firm going, she’d be some hope of crossing this big field and hanging on over a fiercely run 1200m. On a heavy track, we’re comfortable to take her on.

Edge with Hometown Runners

The fascinating aspect of this year’s Golden Slipper is that the bulk of the Sydney 2yos have exposed form on wet tracks in contrast to their Brisbane and Melbourne-based rivals. One such runner is #12 She Will Reign ($7 with Ladbrokes). Gary Portelli’s filly has had four career starts for three wins including victory in the Inglis Nursery at Randwick (1000m) on a heavy track (8). This daughter of Manhattan Rain found the wrong alley and trailed only Frolic on an even worse surface at Randwick in the Reisling (1200m) on March 4. We’re also staggered to find #5 Diamond Tathagata at $81 with William Hill. His only two starts have been on heavy tracks for a record of 2:1-1-0, including victory in the G2 Skyline at Randwick on February 25.

Can Hartnell Handle the Wet?

The first of the day’s G1 races is the $700,000 Ranvet Stakes. First held in 1903 as the Rawson Stakes (named in honour of former State Governor Sir Harry Holdsworth Rawson), this weight-for-age affair over 200m has attracted a field of eight runners. Punters expect an easy kill for Hartnell as he finally avoids Winx but we’re not so sure after he folded a long way out in the Chipping Norton on the bog (9) at Randwick. The bulk of the Melbourne horses haven’t sighted a wet track, so let’s take a couple of proven performers. #7 Antonio Giuseppe ($10 with Sportsbet) has a record of 6:4-1-0 on tracks worse than good, while #8 Sofia Rosa could run a cheeky race at odds ($26 on Crownbet).

Winx, and You’ll Miss it

In the remaining G1s, Winx will make it 16 in a row as a $1.24 top pick in the WFA $1,000,000 China Horse Club George Ryder over 1500m. Inference won the Randwick Guineas on a heavy (10) and makes a logical choice at $3.60 (with bet365) in the $600,000 Sky Racing Rosehill Guineas for the 3yos. The $700,000 Nathan’s Famous Hotdogs Galaxy (1100m) is arguably the toughest race of the day. #6 Redzel (an $8 pick with Luxbet) makes a convincing case based on the 3kg swing in weights after finishing runner-up to #3 English in the G2 Challenge at Randwick on a heavy (10). Carrying just 50kg, #14 Glenall ($18 with Ladbrokes) is worth a small play.

Australian Super Rugby Teams Must Step Up to Save Futures

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Crusaders ($1.41) v Blues ($2.90)

The impressive Crusaders are three from three so far, even though they’ve left it incredibly late to sneak wins in all three of their games. They’ll relish being back at home and hosting the struggling Blues team, who are still no closer to finding the first five that will bring them back to past glory – Piers Francis is the next to try, replacing Ihaia West. Crusaders by 1-12.

Rebels ($7.90) v Chiefs ($1.08)

Nothing but trouble awaits the Rebels this weekend when they host the high-flying Chiefs at AAMI park in Melbourne. The Chiefs have wonder kid Damian McKenzie starting at number ten in what could be an ominous sign for the home side, who have shown very little by way of ability or effort so far this year. Chiefs 13+.

Bulls ($1.01) v Sunwolves ($16.75)

This won’t be a question of who wins but rather a question of how much the Bulls win by. We’re picking fifty points, but then again the Bulls haven’t been that flash this year and have disappointed a loyal fan base that thought this year could be their year with two close losses to South African teams they should’ve beaten. Still, they’re playing the Sunwolves, so they will win. Bulls 13+.

Hurricanes ($1.23) v Highlanders ($4.10)

The Hurricanes / Chiefs showdown last week wasn’t the great spectacle many were hoping for. That’s probably because of the persistent NZ rain, but Saturday night’s match against the Highlanders could match the hype. In a repeat of the 2015 final, the Hurricanes will need to get the win without luckless All Black, Nehe Milner-Skudder, after the winger injured an ankle against the Chiefs. Hurricanes 13+.

Waratahs ($1.48) v Brumbies ($2.64)

All the talk during the week was which teams will be culled from Super Rugby when changes are introduced next year. One of the possibilities was the Brumbies merging with the underperforming Rebels. Accordingly, the Brumbies need a win here to outline their credentials and the reason they should stay in the comp. We think they’re actually a chance to get an upset here. Brumbies 1-12.

Lions ($1.23) v Reds ($4.20)

The Lions rested a lot of their side from the Argentinian tour, but their return should see them get the better of the below par Reds. The Reds did everything but beat the undefeated Crusaders last week and may take some heart from the close loss. However, we still think the Lions will be too strong. Lions 1-12.

Sharks ($1.01) v Kings ($14.75)

Bonus point for the Sharks. 13+. Enough said.

Jaguares ($1.29) v Cheetahs ($3.50)

The Jaguares are the surprise package of the competition so far. Wins in two out of three of their games and the home ground advantage gives them the favourites tags over the Cheetahs. However, the Cheetahs are no mugs either, sitting 5th in the South African conference and showing enough promise in their efforts to suggest they might be contenders in the conference. Jaguares 1-12.

Pitch and Petulance in the Spotlight for Game Three

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The ICC’s refusal to get involved in the spat between both Australian and Indian players and administrators outlines exactly how frail the relationship between the two has become, and how fiery the series has become. While it may be unsettling for the players, it makes for compelling viewing for the cricket loving public.

There is no doubt the third test at Ranchi will be no different from the controversial and completely engrossing games already played.

The Series So Far

The tense series is delicately poised at one game each after India fought back to win game two by 75 runs. After an absolute annihilation in game one, where Australia got the better of them by 333 runs, the Indians managed to square the series with a come from behind win in Bengaluru.

In that second match, Australia again got the better of the first innings efforts and took a lead of 87 (their doomed number) into the second innings. before being shot out for just 112 in their fourth innings pursuit of 188. The twin spin threat of Jadeja and Ashwin proving too much on a low and spin-friendly surface.

The Teams

India

The world’s best side are unlikely to make any changes. They’ll be the same as they were in Bengaluru.

Australia

The two Mitchells (Starc and Marsh) are out of the series, replaced by Marcus Stonis and Pat Cummins. Both slot straight into the side, with Cummins set to play his first test match for four years. No other changes expected for Australia who have lots of players in form (Renshaw, Smith, Hazlewood and Lyon) and lots of players not in form (Marsh, Wade, Warner).

The Key Players

India

Lokesh Rahul is one of the few Indian batsmen to handle both the speed and spin threat of the Australian side confidently. On the landmine surfaces, it’s amazing to think Rahul has faced almost 400 deliveries across his four digs. What’s more, he’s converted the long innings into runs – 215 of them, the most in the series. He’s the key player that Australia needs to contain here in game three.

Australia

It’s time for David Warner to do something about the hold that Ravi Ashwin has on him. Ashwin has removed the pugnacious opener four times in his last five efforts against India, and what’s more, he hasn’t been able to score off him easily when he’s not getting out to him. Warner’s huge to the Australians. He needs to score runs and set the tone, and that means finding a way to get off strike when Ashwin is bowling to him. Perhaps it’s time to unsettle Ashwin with his usual aggressive approach, that has deserted him in India thus far.

The Match Odds*

India – $1.57

Draw – $5.75

Australia – $4

*All odds from Bet365.

The Prediction and Best Bets

India to win comfortably by over 200 runs. Look out for Matt Renshaw to top score at $5.50