Category: Live Sports News

A Must Win Game For Tottenham

Posted on by Online Betting Pro

IT’S a must win game for Tottenham in the Premier League this weekend when they host Stoke at White Hart Lane and anything other than three points can see their title challenge over.

Mauricio Pochettino’s side has been struggling of late in the Premier League with just one win in their last four and this is going to be a lot tougher than the layers are predicting.

Spurs did bounce back to winning ways with a Harry Kane hat-trick in the 3-0 FA Cup win at Championship Fulham last weekend, but in the Premier League they’ve been struggling for goals with just one scored in their last four matches and the first bets I like in this one are going against goals again.

Both teams have now failed to score in the last FIVE Tottenham matches and with under 2.5 goals, a winning bet in six of the last seven Stoke matches. both of those markets look the best wagers in Sunday’s match-up.

Under 2.5 goals is surprisingly as big as 2.30 with BetVictor and despite this fixture having a long history of goals that looks a good bet and the “no” in the BTTS market is certainly one for the weekend coupons as well at 1.92 with BetVictor again.

Can Tottenham be Trusted?

Spurs has let odds-on favourites down twice in the last couple of weeks at Sunderland and Gent, but at home, they usually get the job done and arrive in this one on the back of TEN straight home successes.

I couldn’t back them though at the 1.40 on offer generally, as Stoke has been their bogey team in recent years with just one home win in the last five meetings.

Mark Huges’ side are a stand-out 10.00 with BetVictor to get a famous win in north London, but I think the game-plan will be to frustrate and try to get a point, but eventually Tottenham will break through and instead of taking the heavy odds-on for a home win I will be having a small wager on a 1-0 home win at 8.00 with BetVictor yet again.

I also strongly believe that it might take the home side a little time to break down the red and white bus that is going to be facing them and for that reason another small wager on the draw at half-time and a Tottenham win at the final whistle is suggested at a very nice looking 4.33 with, yes you’ve guessed it BetVictor again.

Stanley Cup Race Looks Wide Open in Exciting NHL Season

Posted on by Online Betting Pro

We are now into the business end of the NHL regular season and several leading teams are battling to reach the playoffs. There are some frontrunners but what makes this season so fascinating is that no overwhelming favourites have emerged and the fight to reach the Stanley Cup looks wide open. That means there is plenty of value to be had when betting on who will win each conference and who will claim this year’s Stanley Cup. Here we run through the contenders for each and preview some upcoming games.

Eastern Conference

The Montreal Canadiens are on a three-game losing streak and have lost seven of their last eight games, leaving their lead at the top of the Atlantic Division looking extremely perilous. The Ottawa Senators have won the same number of games – 31 – but have played two fewer, so should soon claim the mantle at the top. The real form team of the division, however, is the Florida Panthers, with eight wins out of 10, while the Boston Bruins are also doing very well of late. Any of them could make it into the playoffs, but the winner of the Eastern Conference is highly likely to come from the Metropolitan Division.

The Washington Capitals are leading the division and have the best record in the NHL this season (they have won 39 games, the same as the Minnesota Wild, but they have a better goal difference) and are currently favourites to win the Eastern Conference at 11/4 with Betfred and Boyle Sports. The two teams behind them, the Pittsburgh Penguins and the Columbus Blue Jackets, are the second and third favourites for the east at 9/2 and 6/1 respectively with Ladbrokes. Only then do you come to a team from the Atlantic Division, where the Canadiens are out at 7/1 with Betfred. The Capitals may have lost their last two games, but they are seven in 10 and in the best form in the division right now, so they deserve to be favourites ahead of the Penguins, who won the Stanley Cup last year. The Blue Jackets are an interesting long shot, having pulled off some great wins this year, and the New York Rangers also look good at 15/2 with Boyle Sports.

Western Conference

The Minnesota Wild have opened up a comfortable lead at the top of the Central Division and are in great form. They lead the Chicago Blackhawks and both look nailed-on for a playoff spot. They could well meet in the Western Conference Finals, as no team from the Pacific Division looks good enough to challenge them. Last year’s Western Conference winners, the San Jose Sharks, who lost to the Penguins in the Stanley Cup Finals, lead the division and should hold off the charge of the Edmonton Oilers. But the Sharks are not playing well of late and have lost six in 10. At this time of season, you want to look for teams that are building momentum, and in the Western Conference, it is hard to look past the Wild. They are the favourites, but you can still get a very generous 9/4 with Betfred – great when many bookmakers will only go to 6/4 – so that looks a good bet right now.

Stanley Cup

The Wild and the Capitals have been the two best teams in the league so far and head up the betting, with the Caps at 6/1 and Minnesota 17/2 with 888 Sport. It is hard to argue with that, and there is little to choose between the two at present, but the Caps shade it due to a devastating offence. A good long-shot could be the Rangers at 15/1 with 888 Sport. They have muscled their way into contention in the Metropolitan with seven wins from 10, with Henrik Lundqvist leading the charge.

Upcoming Games

Thursday sees the Caps travel to Philadelphia to face the Flyers. They should be confident after beating Philadelphia 5-0 last month and can repeat the feat here, with Coral offering 6/4 on a Washington win. The Ducks have been much improved of late and should beat the Bruins on the same day, with Sky Bet offering 10/11.

Scott to Defend Honda Classic Title on Tour’s Toughest Course

Posted on by Online Betting Pro

Golf has welcomed a new number one player in the world ahead of the Honda Classic beginning Friday. Dustin Johnson has scaled to the summit of golf and confirmed his status as the form player on the globe (along with Justin Thomas and Hideki Matsuyama) with a win last week at the Genesis Open.

And chasing him is a group of accomplished players who next get a chance to catch him in the Honda Classic hosted at PGA National (Champion). That group includes players in the field, like Justin Thomas and Rickie Fowler. See who else might contend at this week’s PGA Tour stop below:

The Course

PGA National (Champion) is widely regarded as one of the toughest challenges in golf. The Champion features the infamous Bear Trap, a series of three holes (15,16,17) designs by Jack Nicklaus, and like the entire course often described as one of the toughest stretches in golf. The stretch that Nicklaus once said could stand the test of time even if golf balls were developed that could travel 1000 yards, often makes or breaks the leading pack – “there are no bailouts”, as Tiger Woods also commented.

The original Tom and George Fazio design was re-designed by Nicklaus in 2014, and it hosts the Honda Classic every year. The Champion features generous landing areas and some of the biggest TifEagle Bermuda greens on the circuit, however, there is a premium on accuracy in all areas of the game.

Playing 7140 yards, the course played the toughest during the 2013 PGA Tour season, proving the tremendous challenge golfers will face this week.

The Defending Champion

Last year, Australia’s Adam Scott outlasted Spaniard, Sergio Garcia to win by one stroke, after the pair were tied for the lead after round 3. Scott, one of the best ball strikers in the game, but the poster child for the broomstick putter anchor ban, won with a final round 70. His margin would’ve been significantly bigger had it not been for a quadruple bogey 7 on the par-3 15th during the third round.

Scott’s win was built around his ball striking (1st in greens in regulations and 10th in driving accuracy) as well as a fine performance with the shorter putter (23rd in strokes gained putting), in an indication of the sort of performance needed to win at The Champion course.

Following Garcia was Blayne Barber, Justin Thomas, Graeme McDowell and Rickie Fowler. The defending champion is at $13 to defend his title and coming off a tie for 11th last week.

The Contenders*

Rickie Fowler $17

Rickie led the Honda Classic last year at the halfway stage before drifting badly over the weekend to finish 6th. In addition to his 6th place last year, he also finished 7th here in 2012, proving a liking to the course. Rickie has a tendency to do well on the same courses time and time again. Like Sawgrass and like the Waste Management in Phoenix (where he’s gone 2, 4th over the last two years), so it won’t be a surprise if he features again this week.

Sergio Garcia $17

Sergio was off last week despite being tipped by a lot of analysts to do well. However, despite a disappointing 49th, mainly on the back of an inconsistent putting display, he still struck the ball well and had good GIR stats. Including his win in Dubai, he’s ranked 3rd, 21st, 4th, 1st and seventh for GIR in his last five starts. Ball strikers are rewarded here, so don’t discount.

Justin Thomas $19

After a Hawaiian holiday to remember – wins in the Tournament of Champions and the Sony Open – Thomas has gone cold. He missed the cut at the Waste Management and was 39th last week at Riviera, but we prefer to use his Sony Open success as a guide for a strong performance here rather than recent form. If his putter gets a bit warmer, he could go well here as the rest of the game seems on point.

Ollie Schniederjans $67

The talented youngster is finally starting to deliver the results week in, week out that his amateur career promised. A tie for 8th last week was his third top ten of the season and positions him nicely at 35th on the FedEx Cup standings. The form is attributed to reverting back to a lower ball flight, something that won’t hinder him on The Champion course.

Tyrell Hatton $31

Hatton is a superstar in the making. After picking up his first European Tour win at the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship in October, Hatton hasn’t finished outside the Top 25 in any event he’s played. Success in the US won’t come immediately, so he’s still probably an outsider, but a name to keep an eye out on the leaderboard and in the future.

*Odds from Sportsbet.

The Winner

Zach Johnson and Jimmy Walker not featured above are also contenders, but we like Fowler. He’s the freshest in the field after missing last week and very consistent on his favourite courses.

Long Shots for NBA Championship Gaining Momentum at Crucial Time

Posted on by Online Betting Pro

We have entered the final third of the NBA regular season and the playoff picture is becoming clearer. In the Western Conference, the Golden State Warriors and San Antonio Spurs are flying and should be joined in the playoffs by the Houston Rockets, LA Clippers and Utah Jazz. Over in the Eastern Conference, the Cleveland Cavaliers have finally found consistency and are in pole position to finish the regular season at the top to earn the number one seed status, with the Boston Celtics and Washington Wizards hot on their heels. Below them, the Toronto Raptors and Atlanta Hawks are both looking good for a playoff place. But in both conferences, the remaining places are very much up for grabs. It is interesting to take a look at the teams that are hitting form at just the right time and could offer interesting long-shot options when predicting who will win the Conferences and the 2017 NBA Championship.

Western Conference

The Warriors are looking immense at present and are naturally favourites to win the NBA Championship. Paddy Power is offering the best price at 8/11, and they are also heavy favourites to win the Western Conference, with 888 Sport offering a market leading 6/17. They have won it for the last two years in a row, and look just as brilliant this time around, with Kevin Durant bolstering an already exceptional team. But they will not have it all their own way. At 5/1 with Sky Bet, Bet365 and Betfred, the Spurs are an interesting choice to win the Western Conference. They have the second-best record in the league, way better than the Cavs, and they welcome back Pau Gasol after the All-Star break. Then there is the Houston Rockets at 16/1 with Ladbrokes, led by MVP frontrunner James Harden (now 10/11 with Paddy Power). And for a real long-shot, how about the Memphis Grizzlies at 50/1 with William Hill and Coral? They are 7-3 in their last 10 games and have really found their rhythm, with Marc Gasol the driving force. If they could steal fourth seed from the Clippers they would have a good shot.

Eastern Conference

Things get really interesting in the Eastern Conference thanks to the form of the Wizards and the Celtics. The Wizards have the best record in the east in 2017 and have now achieved as strong a record as the Cavs and Celtics at home. They have just scored 100-plus points for the 22nd straight game, something only 10 teams have achieved since 2000. They are 9-1 in their last 10, the best record in the league at the moment. They have the momentum and can be a real threat in the playoffs. At Boston, Isaiah Thomas is breaking records left, right and centre, and they would also be 9-1 in their last 10 were it not for a controversial defeat at the hands of the Chicago Bulls. Their 8-2 is nevertheless impressive and they are another that could run Cleveland and LeBron James close. The Cavs are just 2/5 with Betfred, which does not offer much value, so the 15/2 at Sky Bet on Boston looks good, as does the 12/1 Boyle Sports is offering on the Celtics. Another team building up a head of steam is Miami, currently 10th in the east but 8-2 in 10 and looking like muscling into playoff contention thanks to their stellar defence. Sky Bet and William Hill are offering 150/1.

Upcoming Games

Friday sees Harden and the Rockets travel to New Orleans to face the Pelicans, who are 14-15 at home this season. On the road, Houston is 19-11, and while it should be a tight game Houston can sneak this one to consolidate their third position in the Western Conference, and Paddy Power had good odds on a straight win for the Rockets at 5/6. The LA Clippers have found form of late, winning four in a row, but it is unlikely to count for much on the road against the Warriors on Friday. The point spread looks pretty ambitious, however, and Clippers +13 looks good at 10/11 with Paddy Power.

Australia Face Stern Indian Test in Series Opener

Posted on by Online Betting Pro

Ever since Rahul David and VVS Laxman defied Shane Warne and Glenn McGrath for an entire day in 2001, test matches between India and Australia have taken on renewed meaning. That series is often used in the same breath as the Ashes 2005 in discussions about the greatest ever series.

The Australian, Indian rivalry is drama, romance and controversy rolled into one. Games in the uncomfortable heat of the subcontinent on dry turning pitches somehow flip the Australian batsman’s skills to the extent that Shaun Marsh becomes one of their better players. And, in Australia, booze soaked fans in Bay 13 get involved in heated sledging battles with Virat Kohli on behalf of their team’s bowlers.

There’s nothing quite like it. And we can’t wait for the four match test series to begin on Thursday in Pune.

The Last Time These Two Met

Since 2004/05 neither of these two sides has managed to win a series away from home. In fact, a series win aboard has only got harder as the teams and respective groundsman seek to produce wickets that complement the home sides competencies.

Moreover, in the last four series encounters between the two, dating back to 2008, the away side hasn’t managed to win a game. The history is starting to look like clean sheet football scores.

The most recent meeting was down under in the 2014/15 season. India was actually very brave in that series and the 2-0 scoreline was a little unkind to them. However, if we’re going to compare apples with apples, we should look at the last time these two played in Indian conditions.

That was in 2012 and was won 4-0 by India. It was an Australian debacle under Mickey Arthur that’s become famous for the homework scandal that’s had a fair bit of publicity in autobiographies recently. India won the games in that series by 8 wickets; an innings and 135 runs; 6 wickets; and, 6 wickets respectively.

The Teams

India (from):

Virat Kohli (capt), R Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Abhinav Mukund, Karun Nair, Hardik Pandya, Cheteshwar Pujara, Ajinkya Rahane, KL Rahul, Wriddhiman Saha, Ishant Sharma, M Vijay, Jayant Yadav, Umesh Yadav, Kuldeep Yadav

India is relatively well-settled and shouldn’t make too many changes to the team that comprehensively beat England.

Australia (from)

Steven Smith (capt), David Warner, Matt Renshaw, Usman Khawaja, Shaun Marsh, Peter Handscomb, Glenn Maxwell, Matthew Wade (wk), Mitchell Marsh, Ashton Agar, Steve O’Keefe, Mitchell Starc, Mitchell Swepson, Josh Hazlewood, Jackson Bird, Nathan Lyon

The Australian selectors have three decisions to make. In the opening position do they opt for the promising Matt Renshaw, or the sub continent experienced (and successful), Shaun Marsh. If Renshaw is chosen, then Marsh will bat in the middle order, possibly at the expense of Usman Khawaja. Khawaja’s absence also frees up room to play an all-rounder at six – should that be Mitchell Marsh or Glenn Maxwell?

The Key Players

India

Like there is anyone else we could feature in this section. Virat Kohli. While Ravi Ashwin is almost as important to this team, Kohli is the talisman who is crucial to setting his side’s tone against the confrontational Australians. He gives his team belief and that’s worth more than any of the runs he scores. He’ll probably get some runs too, though. He averages over 56 against the Aussies at home, and his recent run of form reads 204, 15, 235, 6*, 62, 81, 167, 49* – not bad.

Australia

Just like Kohli is important for the home side, Steven Smith is too for his (this section should be called Captains, not Key Players). Smith’s only played two test matches in India, but he has tons of experience through the IPL and in other sub-continent nations. Smith will need big runs in this series and signs are looking good after his warm up 107 against India A.

The Match Odds*

India – $1.60

Draw – $3.80

Australia – $5.50

*All odds from Sportsbet.

The Prediction

During England’s recent tour of India, they scored over 400 batting first three times out of five and still lost 4-0. The trouble was those big scores only got them a first innings lead on one occasion. India was and are simply too good at compelling huge totals on their favoured surface. And once they do, their spinners will make things close to impossible in the second innings. India will win by 8 wickets or 130 runs.

The Best Bets

Cheteshwar Pujara is in good form (two hundreds and three fifties against England) and could go big again. He’s at $3.75 to go all the way to three figures.

Peter Handscombe scored fifties at will in the Australian home summer, if he can do it again here, he’ll return you $2.88.

Another Defeat For The Foxes

Posted on by Online Betting Pro

LEICESTER suffered another set back at the weekend with their FA Cup exit at League One Millwall and it’s going to get a lot worse on Wednesday night when the Champions of England make the tough trip to the south of Spain to face Sevilla.

The Foxes are having a complete nightmare of a season and Saturday’s FA Cup loss was the low light of what has truly been a staggering collapse from Claudio Ranieri’s side.

Many expected a decline at the King Power, but nobody would’ve predicted that they would be in a relegation battle and without a single win away all season.

This is as tough as it gets in Europe for Leicester and there is no way in the world that can seriously be considered for betting even at the general price 10.00.

Although Leicester has been at their best in the Champions League they arrive at the last 16 stage in the worst form of the season without a win in their last eight matches, with three straight away defeats and no goals scored in those matches.

Sevilla has been the Europa Cup kings in the last couple of seasons and Jorge Sampaoli’s side look absolute good things to win this and odds of 1.40 although very short, will see you collecting.

Los Rojiblancos are a force to be reckoned with at their intimidating Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan home and they’ve been in great form this season sitting in third place in La Liga behind Real Madrid and Barcelona after an impressive seven-match unbeaten run at home.

GOALS LOOK ON THE CARDS

In those seven matches Sevilla have scored a staggering 22 goals and they are expected to add to that tally with a few again against a Leicester side that is conceding goals for fun and I am going to be taking Sevilla on the Asian handicap lines as well -1.5 goals which is 2.05 with BetVictor.

I can’t see Leicester adding to the goals though in this one as main goalscoring duo Jamie Vardy and Riyad Mahrez have gone missing for much of the season, and with clean sheets in their last two home games, I am taking Sevilla to win to nil again at 2.25 with Paddy Power.

For correct-score punters this really could be all over before the return leg in a fortnight’s time and at 10.00 again with Paddy Power you can do a lot worse than back the Spanish giants to win 3-0.