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Michael Jordan: The GOAT in NBA?

Michael Jeffrey Jordan has GOAT listed as one of his many nicknames on Basketball Reference. That tells you all there is to know about his status in basketball history.

Jordan’s case as the greatest basketball player has won over many – it is LeBron James against His Airness, a duel that divides generations and has filled hour upon hour of talk-show discussion.

Some of the Jordan arguments are chorused on the aforementioned chat-shows. Others are overlooked. Jordan’s impact on the NBA, as a business and a product, is phenomenal, and he continues to make millions a year on the back of his Hall of Fame career.

Iconic doesn’t do Jordan justice. His name transcends basketball in a way few athletes manage.

Count The Rings

Individual greatness only elevates a player to a certain level. If team glory doesn’t follow, their legacy will often be smaller than they may deserve.

Jordan had team success by the bucketload, winning six rings across two spells with the Chicago Bulls. Robert Horry is the only non-Celtic with more championships than Jordan and his robin, Scottie Pippen.

The ‘six rings’ argument might be shallow, and often oversimplified, but it’s also an undeniable fact. Jordan led a team to an unprecedented era of dominance (once again, post-Celtics).

Sport is about winning ultimately, it’s about lifting trophies. Jordan did that as the star player better than anyone other than Bill Russell.

It’s the most common discussion point when Jordan is pitted against James. The Los Angeles Lakers might be a title favourite in this season’s NBA betting, but James only has three championships to his name.

Many would say that gap needs to close before he can truly threaten Jordan’s GOAT status. Another player in the discussion for greatest ever, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, matched Jordan’s six rings (one with Milwaukee and five with the Lakers) over his 20-year NBA career.

Jabbar wasn’t the undisputed best player on those teams, however. As great as Pippen was, the Bulls were Jordan’s team, and he was the player who took responsibility for winning games in the fourth quarter.

Jordan = Clutch

Without getting bogged down in clutch time shooting percentage and comparing moments against one another, James is Jordan’s only rival when it comes to delivering the game-winning moments in the dying embers.

The shot against Utah in 1998 is the moment most well-remembered, but it’s not the only example. That dagger against the Jazz secured Chicago’s sixth title – and their second three-peat.

Nine years previous, Jordan delivered a similarly devastating shot to knock the Cleveland Cavaliers out in the first round.

Our all-time NBA starting five featured Jordan and James. Jordan was known for his self-belief in clutch moments, an unwavering desire to take the shot.

It didn’t always result in the best basketball play, but that helped him shrug off the occasions when it didn’t work out.

Underrated Defence

James’ defence – until 2019/20, anyway – has been on the decline in recent years. He has coasted on that side of the ball in his second Cleveland stint and his first year in Los Angeles.

In contrast, Jordan never developed such a reputation. His Airness was named in the All-Defensive first team on nine occasions, including the 1997/98 campaign, which was his age-34 season.

James’ peak defence may well be superior to Jordan’s, but James managed his workload in a way that Jordan didn’t choose – or perhaps need – to.

Jordan was a Defensive Player of the Year candidate throughout his career – the Bulls were first, fourth and fourth in adjusted defensive rating in the three full seasons following his sabbatical.

Impact On NBA

Jordan ‘saved the NBA’. As much as dynasties are criticised, the NBA has seen ratings increase when there’s a big, bad dominant force beating everyone before them. The Chicago Bulls generated that feeling, and Jordan’s ascendance from third overall pick in the 1984 NBA draft to become one of the most famous people in the world drew attention to the NBA in a way few envisaged. The 1992 Dream Team played a significant role in the growth of the league.

It exposed Europeans in particular to NBA stars in a way they hadn’t been before. Jordan, Larry Bird and Magic Johnson were the faces of the league at that point, and the Bulls’ dynasty was the first taste of the NBA for many fans. If Jordan had left for baseball permanently, or his career had taken a different path, there’s no doubt the NBA would look very different today.

*Credit for the main photo belongs to John Swart / AP Photo*

December 19, 2019

Basketball

By Sam Cox

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Sam is a sports tipster, specialising in the Premier League and Champions League.

He covers most sports, including cricket and Formula One. Sam particularly enjoys those on the other side of the Atlantic Ocean – notably MLB and NBA.

Watching, writing and talking about sports betting takes up most of his time, whether that is for a day out at T20 Finals Day or a long night of basketball.

Having been writing for several years, Sam has been working with 888Sport since 2016, contributing multiple articles per week to the blog.

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Best Football Skills For Young Footballers To Learn In Training

Every youngster dreams of becoming a professional footballer. Recreating a Champions League-winning goal in the back garden or leading your local side to promotion is a staple of a football fan’s childhood.

We’ve covered a guide to becoming a football manager at 888, and this time we are taking a look at the key skills to learn as a young footballer. We’ll admit this isn’t a guarantee you’ll be succeeding Harry Kane as England captain, but they’re important starting points.

The stories of David Beckham’s near obsessive free-kick practice are an example of what young footballers should aim for.

That level of commitment, that dedication to improving, is how a young player can improve sufficiently to make a career in the game. Here are five skills they should focus on…

Stepovers

Although associated with wingers who dance around the ball and then hit the first man, stepovers are a useful skill for young players. It is a way to beat your man and helps develop dribbling skills from a young age.

Having quick feet is key for a footballer, regardless of position. Defenders need to be nimble enough to live with opposing attacks, midfielders must be able to move the ball in tight spaces.

Stepovers aren’t always going be appropriate in a game, but from a young age, it is important footballers are confident taking on their opponent. Stepovers are an exercise to help with that.

Cruyff Turn

Named after arguably the greatest footballer of all-time, the Cruyff turn is a good way to either beat a player or retain possession.

It is executed by planting one foot alongside the ball, as you would if you’re going to pass or shoot. As you begin the motion, twist your foot slightly to drag it back behind the planted foot.

The player can then dribble away into space, having left the opponent behind, or pass to a newly available teammate.

Learning ways to turn with the ball helps young players to become more aware of their surroundings on the pitch and opens up options. It aids ball retention, one of the most vital skills.

Two-Touch Passing

This is the only ‘skill’ on this list that ideally needs another person (though a wall would work, too).

Two-touch passing sounds simple, but it’s a great way to work on developing a good first touch and quick feet to receive and move the ball swiftly.

The rondo is a well-known exercise which looks to work on the same skills. A two-touch passing drill could be done between just two players, or even using a wall to bounce the ball back at you.

Roulette

Often named after Real Madrid legend and Ballon d’Or winner Zinedine Zidane (Zidane’s Madrid are one of the football betting favourites in the Champions League once again), the roulette is a move particularly useful for midfielders.

It is a great way to lose players in confined spaces or keep possession when an opponent closes in.

A roulette is effectively a spin move. The player will put their foot on top of the ball and pivot, switching the ball to their other foot. Space has been created, and the opponent is unable to do anything about it.

Stop And Go

This one is pretty self-explanatory. Simply dribble the ball at pace, keeping it under control. Abruptly stop, controlling it with the outside of your foot. Then, get the ball moving again with the inside of the same foot.

It’s straight forward and very effective. Some of the game’s best dribblers have used this frequently, stopping on a sixpence before leaving their market behind.

Eden Hazard and Lionel Messi will both stop and start when dribbling, making it very hard for their opponent to stay with them.

*Credit for the main photo belongs to Martin Meissner / AP Photo*

December 18, 2019

Football

By Sam Cox

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Lauren EXCLUSIVE With 888sport: Arsenal Must Unite Under Arteta And Look Ahead To Bright Future

Former Arsenal defender Lauren has called for calmer heads to prevail at the Emirates with the club currently languishing tenth in the Premier League having recently endured their worst run for 42 years.

And for the two-time title winner the healing must begin in the stands.

“The fans always have the right to criticise because they pay every single year but at the moment we need to be united.

"It is easy when the team is winning everything and winning cups to be a fan but in the complicated moments people have to come together: the team, the fans, the board. We have to all come together to get back to the position where we all like to see Arsenal.”

If a more harmonious relationship between the Emirates faithful and their team can only be beneficial what matters most of course are the performances on the pitch and to that end the Gunners have recently dispensed of their struggling manager Unai Emery with Mikel Arteta looking most likely to be his replacement. The 42-year-old Cameroonian approves of their choice.

“Arteta has been an important figure for Arsenal. The captain. He played a lot of good football for us and I wish him all the best if the appointment happens. I hope he can get Arsenal back to winning ways.”

Yet if Arteta offers genuine hope moving forward their problems still reside at the back with the Gunners defence seemingly in a constant state of disarray having conceded 27 times in the league alone.

For Lauren however it is not Sokratis and co who solely deserve the criticism but also the midfield that too often exposes them.

“It has been a long time since Arsenal has dominated the middle of the park. It’s very important and for a while now they haven’t done this. If they don’t control the middle it is very difficult to win against Manchester City and the big games.

"This makes it difficult too for the strikers and the defence. It is harder to score goals and easy for the defence to concede when the middle is not dominated. Finding out why this is brings many different opinions but Arsenal have to find a way.”

If a lack of protection hardly helps matters what has also proven to be the Gunners’ undoing this term is an inability to play out from the back.

Should the unpopular strategy go the same way as Emery now that the club are looking to turn over a new leaf?

“Every manager who was a player under Arsene Wenger will try to play out through the back. Freddie is doing this and it’s not a problem because we’re not conceding goals through playing out from the back.

"This is not an issue. We’re conceding goals through other issues. This is the Arsenal way: trying to play from the back and build up to the opponent’s half and try to score goals.”

On the occasions this has successfully been achieved they have found a striker in red-hot form capable of terrorising one and all. Where would Arsenal be without Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang right now?

“He has been outstanding. He is Arsenal’s best player at the moment. And he is improving; he is improving every single year.

"It is very important that they keep him because there are not many players in the market who can score 25 goals a season. It’s a massive thing to keep him and fight for the league in future seasons.”

Talk of the future brings us to the wealth of young attacking talent within the ranks who are not only threatening to steal the spotlight from established, under-achieving stars but offering up significant hope too for seasons ahead.

In particular Lauren has been impressed by a blistering, brilliant Brazilian who was only three years old when Arsenal – and Lauren – became forever Invincible.

“Martinelli shows personality. He shows character. Arsenal fans should be optimistic because the youngsters are coming up and showing a lot of quality and also a lot of ambition. Martinelli takes on players and he has that kind of hunger that we need.

"This guy has a lot of quality, he is quick, and most importantly he has the mentality to be fighting for everything.

"That is very important for a youngster to have that. They might have the technical ability but they also need the mentality and ambition to win things. I like him.”

A consummate pro who spent a decade in the Premier League putting in weekly masterclasses from right-back Lauren’s views on another emerging player are revealing.

It seems that the versatile and highly rated Ainsley Maitland-Niles still has some way to go before making the full-back role his own.

“He’s a good player but like any other young player of his age there is always still a lot to improve because when you have a midfield mentality it takes a while to adapt, stay back and do things the right way.

He is young, eager to learn and I hope he can break into the England squad. He makes good crosses, he beats players and he understands the game.

“When he goes forward he’s a very good player but he can still improve in his defensive duties, but he is young and not the finished product yet. I am sure his determination will help him on that learning process. Then he will be the one for the future.”

With Aubameyang firing on all cylinders and a clutch of fantastically gifted kids showing the way forward there is a lot for Arsenal fans to be excited about even in troubled times.

Yet still we cannot overlook the disappointing results that continue to rack up and the player who many believe should be blamed more than anyone else for them. Step forward the perennial scapegoat Mesut Ozil.

“It is always unfair to point the finger at one striker, one midfielder or one defender. When things don’t go well everyone has to push together and find a way to win and get the three points every weekend.

"Ozil is just one player in the whole team. Sure he is one of the best and has the most quality so gets criticism when the team don't get results. But I am sure his talent can still make the difference”

Throughout our chat Lauren is at pains not to compare his extraordinary team of the 2000s with the present flailing incarnation.

When looking back at what qualities brought so much silverware back in the day however it is hard not to draw a conclusion that the Invincibles and the Invisibles really are chalk and cheese.

“My team had quality, mentality, determination, hunger and ambition all mixed up together. We had fighting spirit and hated to lose and hated to draw.

"To draw 0-0 was like you had lost the game. In my time you also had hunger from the bench. They had the ambition to perform and when they came on you could see it in their face. It is very difficult to have that in a squad of 22 players like today.”

But let’s not end on a negative note. After all, a new manager will soon be at the helm and a new dawn starts over. Have they left it too late though to turn things around in 2019/20?

“There are many points still to play for until the end of the season. It’s not easy because the position right now is not the best but with the many, many points left there is a possibility of top four for sure. I believe they can make it. Why not?”

Lauren Quickfire Questions:

Everton vs Arsenal - Score Prediction?

1-2 to Arsenal

Everton vs Arsenal - First Goal Scorer?

Aubameyang

Who Will Win The Premier League?

Liverpool. They have the momentum.

Who Will Win The Golden Boot?

One of Liverpool’s front three. Salah or Mane.

Who Will Win The Champions League?

Liverpool.

*Credit for the main photo belongs to Bas Czerwinski / AP Photo*

December 18, 2019

Football

By 888sport

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The 888sport blog is here to offer betting and tipping advice on the biggest sports fixtures, events and competitions around the world.

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French Open 2020: Comprehensive Guide To Roland Garros Grand Slam Event

The only clay court Grand Slam in tennis, the French Open is unique in that sense, and as a result, it provides an opportunity for plenty of players that may not be competitive on the grass and hard courts of Wimbledon, Melbourne and New York.

For many players, the French Open is the hardest to win (and not just because of Rafael Nadal’s dominance).

As there are clay-court specialists, there are also players who find the challenges of clay much greater than grass or hard courts. Some of the greatest tennis players of all-time have enjoyed only minimal success at the French Open.

The 2020 French Open is out focus here, as we run through everything you need to know about the tournament, starting with the when and where and moving onto a look at the latest tennis betting…

When Is The 2020 French Open?

The 2020 French Open starts on Sunday 24^th May and finishes with the men’s singles final on Sunday 7^th June.

For many dreaming of a run in the tournament, the journey to the French Open begins before the 24^th May. Qualification will be taking place in the weeks prior.

Although the weather in France in early summer tends to be pretty reliable, there’s always a risk of delays. This is very unlikely to make the tournament overrun, but it can force some players to squeeze matches in.

French Open 2020: Where Is It?

The second Grand Slam of the calendar year is held at Stade-Roland Garros in Paris. Roland Garros was a French aviator, and the venue has been named after him since 1928. Prior to that it was called Racing Club de France.

Lagging behind the other three Slams, the French Open is expected to have its first retractable roof ready for the 2020 edition of the tournament.

This will – unsurprisingly – be over the main court, and follows years of renovations including to Court Philippe-Chatrier and the new Court Simonne-Mathieu.

Planning opposition slowed progress at Roland Garros, and they considered leaving to a new venue outside of Paris in the mid-noughties.

French Open 2020: Reigning Champions

Most tennis fans will follow the singles and little else, but a Grand Slam brings glory for many beyond the big stars.

From legends matches to wheelchair doubles, plenty are celebrating at the end of a Grand Slam fortnight.

In fact, two big names enjoyed success in the legends’ matches in 2019 with Amelie Mauresmo and Goran Ivanisevic winning the women’s and men’s doubles respectively.

Rafael Nadal won his 12^th (yes, twelfth) French Open singles title in 2019, and Ashleigh Barty won her first career Grand Slam after never previously reaching the semi-finals.

German duo Andreas Mies and Kevin Krawietz reigned supreme in the men’s doubles – Hungarian Timea Babos and Frenchwoman Kristina Mladenovic won the women’s.

French Open 2020: Betting

To the shock of quite literally no one, Nadal is the far and away favourite to make it 13 in 2020. As ever, the women’s side of the draw is much trickier to call.

Women's French Open Odds:

Simona Halep – 4/1

Bianca Andrescu – 8/1

Serena Williams – 8/1

Ashleigh Barty – 9/1

Kiki Bertens – 12/1

Elina Svitolina – 12/1

Naomi Osaka – 14/1

French Open 2020 - Men's Betting:

Rafael Nadal – 4/5

Novak Djokovic – 11/4

Dominic Thiem – 7/2

Stefanos Tsitsipas – 16/1

Roger Federer – 20/1

Alexander Zverev – 20/1

Daniil Medvedev – 25/1

Stanislas Wawrinka – 25/1

French Open 2020 With 888sport

The 2020 French Open will be upon us before we know it. 888Sport is the place to be for all the latest news, tips and odds.

Looking for a certain bet on the French open? 888 Sport have you covered

*Credit for the main photo belongs to Christophe Ena / AP Photo*

December 18, 2019

Tennis

By Sam Cox

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Australian Open 2020: Comprehensive Guide To Melbourne Grand Slam Event

The first Grand Slam of the year, the Australian Open is one of four tennis Slams in the calendar year. The event is often targeted as players return from injury and can be the start of a glorious campaign.

After a break over Christmas, the Australian Open is underway before we've remembered to start writing 2020 instead of 2019.

As with all Grand Slam events, the Australian Open includes various different tournaments from youth events and doubles through to the singles - we could see a few players who could break through on the Grand Slam stage in Melbourne.

The singles’ champions are obviously the most well-known, but it is often the doubles that is hardest to call ahead of the Australian Open.

Of the men’s doubles, women’s doubles and mixed doubles winning pairings in 2019, five of the six were winning their first Australian Open.

Winning the Australian Open is the highlight of a tennis player’s career. This article tells you all you need to know about the 2020 edition, including some tennis betting tips…

When Is The 2020 Australian Open?

The tournament gets underway on 20^th January and the men’s final takes place on 2^nd February. Qualification matches will take place prior to this, however, and the schedule could be altered during the tournament fortnight if weather or over-running matches force changes.

The 2012 Australian Open final, played by two of tennis' big three in Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal, was the longest Grand Slam final match ever played (by duration). To this day, it is still one of the greatest Australian Open matches of all-time.

Australian Open 2020: Where Is It?

The Australian Open is hosted in Melbourne, the most populous city in Australia. In 1988, the Australian Open moved to Melbourne Park, and became a hard court event rather than grass.

Two types of hard court have been used since 1988, with a change to a blue ‘Plexicushion’ hard court taking place in 2007.

It became the first Grand Slam to host indoor play, and its three main courts – Rod Laver Arena, Margaret Court Arena and Melbourne Arena – all have retractable roofs that are used in poor weather or extremely hot conditions.

Over 780,000 people attended the 2019 Australian Open, making it the highest attended Grand Slam.

Australian Open 2020: Reigning Champions

Although the singles champions get all the attention, there are a lot of people returning to the Australian Open as defending champions.

Across the wheelchair singles, doubles and mixed doubles, men’s legends doubles, youth singles and doubles and men’s singles, doubles and women’s singles and doubles, there was a whopping 25 champions in 2019.

Novak Djokovic lifted his seventh title in Melbourne - and the latest Australian Open odds make Djokovic the favourite to win an eighth in 2020.

Meanwhile, up and coming superstar Naomi Osaka won her first Australian Open crown. Australian Mark Philippoussis and Frenchman Mansour Bahrami won the men’s legends.

Australian Open 2020: Betting

As ever, the men’s Australian Open market is dominated by the aforementioned big three. The women’s draw is comparatively wide open, however, with Serena Williams the 6/1 favourite.

Women's Australian Open Odds:

Serena Williams – 6/1

Bianca Andrescu – 7/1

Ashleigh Barty – 7/1

Simona Halep – 8/1

Naomi Osaka – 8/1

Elina Svitolina – 14/1

Petra Kvitova – 16/1

Karolina Pliskova – 16/1

Australian Open 2020 - Men's Betting:

Novak Djokovic – 6/4

Rafael Nadal – 3/1

Roger Federer – 6/1

Daniil Medvedev – 8/1

Stefanos Tsitsipas – 11/1

Dominic Thiem – 14/1

Alexander Zverev – 18/1

Andy Murray – 25/1

Australian Open 2020 With 888sport

Keep your eyes peeled for the latest tips, news and odds ahead of the 2020 Australian Open.

We are only a few weeks away from a tournament that could define careers, and may give us another key moment in the argument over the greatest ever tennis player.

Excited about the Aus open? You'll also get excited about the tennis odds at 888sport.com

*Credit for the main photo belongs to Kin Cheung / AP Photo*

December 16, 2019

Tennis

By Sam Cox

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Our Complete Guide To The Best Football Betting Apps

If you’re new to football betting or an experienced gambler, you will always been looking at ways to find good value in the markets.

There are plenty of methods of doing this, of course, and bettors will also look to bookmakers who provide a smooth service whether on a browser or app. Apps are the focus of this article, and specifically those that can help us out when it comes to football betting.

The betting industry has changed drastically over the last decade or so. Technology has changed the game, it has seen in-play betting become a staple, and every major company is judged as much on the quality of their app as they are by their sports odds.

Our list of the top five football betting apps has a combination of bookmakers, tipsters and news sources. A combination of which is a necessity to become an effective football bettor…

888sport

Before selecting the apps to help you make football bets, you need an app to place them on.

888Sport frequently have football betting promotions or offers, and their weekly Up For 8 game is a great way to give yourself a chance at winning a substantial chunk of cash and a few free bets.

888Sport offer football betting markets on anything you could think of. Enhanced wincasts and trebles are always available too and they pride themselves on covering an incredible range of leagues around the world.

Whether it’s a bet on the 2022 World Cup winner or the top scorer in the Europa League, 888Sport is the place to go.

Racing Post

It’s not just horse racing at the Racing Post. The horse racing app is marketed as the ‘must-have for the must-have info’, but the racing post also offers an app to view the newspaper.

It requires a subscription, but it allows you to read sporting tips galore. Racing Post’s team of experts are a good port of call, and their podcast – which featured in our list of the best sports’ betting podcasts – is well worth subscribing to.

Football might not be the first thing you think of with the Racing Post, but they’re one of the best around. New or old when it comes to football betting, Racing Post is a handy app for news and tips.

Infogol

Infogol is the home of football statistics. Their app provides betting tips, but this earns its place on your phone or tablet with their stats. Analysing the numbers is important ahead of any bet, and that’s no different with football.

Infogol covers all of the top leagues around the world. Before matches, they offer ‘smart stats’ and ‘flags’ as well as team news and form guides.

Analyst verdicts are usually available, too. Once the match kicks off, live score updates are provided and a ‘half-time team talk’ gives an update on the best in-play bets.

It is as comprehensive as any app on the market. Infogol’s model provides expected goals for all the leagues they cover, and stats are available for the league, teams and individual players.

With great personalisation, this is the first app anyone getting into football betting should download.

Betting Tips Football

With nearly 68,000 reviews (most of which are five-star) on Google Play, there’s no doubting the popularity of ‘Betting Tips Football’.

It is a smooth app to use, easy to navigate, and includes a Premium VIP option that may tempt some particularly committed football bettors. Their win rate is pretty impressive too...

Crucially, they don’t stick to backing the obvious bets either. A range of good value options are provided from small, medium and long odds. History of past bets is kept on the app too, allowing users to check the past success rate.

It isn’t as simplistic as ‘team to win’ or ‘both teams to score’ either. Betting Tips Football take a wider look at the markets, making informed decisions about a range of available bets.

One Football App

You need to know everything in the lead up to a match to make an informed betting decision.

A reliable news app is a must in the arsenal of any football bettor, and they don’t come much better than One Football. The coverage is comprehensive, not just in terms of detail, but also the amount of leagues and teams available.

It’s got a solid five stars on Apple from a whopping 72,500 reviews. The app provides all you need from team news through to minute-by-minute coverage once the match kicks off.

There’s expert analysis, too, which can help to guide you in the right direction as you place your bet.

*Credit for the main photo belongs to Ian Walton / AP Photo*

December 16, 2019

Football

By Sam Cox

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Five Famous Horse Racing Gambles

We all love to read about those David versus Goliath type betting coups that have been landed over the years, where the small man has taken down the big bookmaker and landed himself a small fortune in the process.

All manner of people have either orchestrated an almighty gamble themselves or have simply got extremely lucky with the horse racing results perfectly landing their way.

Let’s take a look at some of those lucrative racing stories that have landed those involved a pretty penny – or two!

The Yellow Sam Coup

To this day this well planned plot remains one of the biggest spankings ever handed out to a British or Irish bookmaker.

Yellow Sam was one of the first horses that Barney Curley ever bought, but Curley hatched a plan that would see his racehorse winning him more than just racecourse prize money.

The year was 1975 and Curley chose to race Yellow Sam at Bellewstown Races specifically, as the track had just two telephone lines. About half way through the day Curley knew that one of the lines went out of operation, leaving just one solo line.

Curley enrolled a friend to pretend to make an extended call to his aunt that was dying in order to block any attempts from off-course bookmakers phoning up the track to cut Yellow Sam’s price.

On the day of the race, Yellow Sam’s starting price was 20–1 and there was the potential to make a lot of profit.

If it became known that large sums of money were being placed on his horse then alarm bells would be raised and the large gamble would be foiled, so Curley enrolled some friends and accomplices to help him.

Dozens of Curley’s helpers waited in bookmaker’s shops across Ireland with money to place bets with. None of them knew beforehand which horse they were backing or even the race it was running in.

Curley made sure the bets were in sealed in envelopes that were not allowed to be opened until they received a phone call from Curley.

Yellow Sam peacefully went about negotiating the 13-hurdles and won by two and a half lengths in the end, netting Curley a cool £1.4 million.

With the bookmakers oblivious to what was going on they did not have the wherewithal to shorten Yellow Sam’s odds and Curley’s betting master plan was landed.

Tote Jackpot

The UK’s biggest known accumulator win came in March 2011 when plumbing engineer Steve Whiteley managed to win the Tote Jackpot at Exeter and land himself a £1,445,671.71 payday.

His six winners consisted of Semicolon (2/1), Black Phantom (12/1), Ammunition (16/1), Mr Bennett (16/1), Lundy Sky (5/1), and Lupita (12/1).

Steve told reporters after the successful sixth leg: “The most exciting bit was after the fourth race when my mate said only seven people in the whole country were still in it.”

Asked how he felt when he knew there was just Lupita left to oblige, Steve replied: “I couldn't watch the last race. I'm shaking like a leaf, I can't believe it.”

Magnificent Seven

Saturday 28^th September 1996 will always be remembered as one of the truly great days in racing history when Frankie Dettori went through the entire card at Ascot, clocking up seven winners.

Dettori started the day by winning on Wall Street (2-1) in the Cumberland Lodge Stakes, which was followed up by Diffident, a 12-1 shot in the horse racing betting, in the Diadem Stakes.

Next up was the feature race, the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes, in which Mark Of Esteem (100-30) and Dettori got the verdict over Bosra Sham.

As Decorated Hero (7-1) passed the post in first place in the Tote Festival Handicap, the tally was four and people were beginning to get a touch more excited, and when Fatefully (7-4) made it a five from five in the Rosemary Stakes the crowd were beginning to crank it up.

Dettori now stood on the brink of equalling the record held Gordon Richards and Alec Russell in winning six races on the same card and when Lochangel (5-4) duly obliged in the Blue Seal Stakes he joined those afore mentioned names – but only for 35 minutes!

Fujiyama Crest was the horse that had the responsibility of making Dettori a history maker, and because of the bookmaker liabilities that were rolling up around the country, the 12/1 morning line price was slashed and Fujiyama Crest was made the 2/1 favourite.

Dettori lead all the way on the four-year-old, to just hold on by a neck and bring up what is now fondly remembered as “The Magnificent Seven”.

Naturally there were many elated Dettori punters around the country that day and none more so than Darren Yates. For an initial outlay of £67.58 he raked in the wonderful sum of £550,823 from his accumulator.

Stable Lad Scoops £1m

Stable lad Conor Murphy, who worked for the Nicky Henderson yard, had a 2012 Cheltenham Festival to remember when he bagged £1m from backing five of his bosses horses in a £50 antepost accumulator.

Sprinter Sacre kicked off proceedings with victory in the Arkle, Simonsig scored in the Neptune and Bobs Worth took the RSA chase.

Then it was left to Finian’s Rainbow (Queen Mother Champion Chase), who Murphy looked after, and Riverside Theatre to plunder the Ryanair Chase and they both duly obliged to bring up the five-timer.

In another gamble in that same Cheltenham week, Phil Williams, owner of the Donald McCain-trained Son Of Flicka, was reported to have collected £900,000 when his horse won the Coral Cup.

50p Punter Wins £1 Million

In 2008, Fred Craggs, from Thirsk, found he had hit the jackpot on his 60th birthday but he sat through a family meal first without telling anyone.

He beat odds of two million to one when all his horses came in on a 50p eight horse accumulator.

A spokesman for the bookmaker he placed it with said the bet was "the most amazing ever" since betting shops were made legal in 1961.

Mr Craggs placed his bet in a betting shop in Thirsk after reading all the horse racing tips and news.

To collect the £1 million windfall he needed all eight horses to win - from the first horse called Isn't That Lucky, to the last horse called A Dream Come True, they all did the business.

*Credit for the main photo belongs to Tony Feder / AP Photo*

December 16, 2019

Horse Racing

By Steve Mullington

https://twitter.com/mulldog">

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Steven is a sports and horse racing enthusiast and is a member of the Horseracing Writers and Photographers Association (HWPA) in the United Kingdom.

He is a regular visitor to Paris Longchamp for the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe and a lifelong fan of the Aintree Grand National, a subject he writes about 52 weeks of the year. Last year he reached the impressive milestone of attending the last 30 renewals of the Grand National.

Steven graduated from the University Of Lancaster in 1996 with a B.A (Hons) in Urban Policy & Race Relations (major) with Contemporary Religions & Belief Systems (minor) and still wonders if any of these help him find the winners?

He writes for a number of websites and online publications and you can sometimes hear him at the weekend discussing racing on a number of local radio stations.

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Caspian Caviar Gold Cup 2019: Preview, Betting Tips & Odds

The Caspian Caviar Gold Cup was first run in 1963. It was originally sponsored by Massey Ferguson and known as the Massey Ferguson Gold Cup.

The race continued with this name until 1980, but since then it has had various sponsors and consequently several title changes.

For simplicity, the race has become commonly known in the racing media as the December Gold Cup and takes place on the Saturday of Cheltenham’s International Meeting.

The prestigious Grade Three handicap chase is run over two miles, four furlongs and 166 yards and this year it has attracted a quality field of sixteen runners.

Last year’s renewal was won by the Paul Nicholls-trained/Bryony Frost-ridden Frodon at horse racing betting odds of 7/1.

Trends & Statistics:

Trainer form: Paul Nicholls has won 5 of the last 10 runnings of the race, including the dual winners Poquelin and Frodon.

Age: 6-y-o (3) 7-y-o (3) 4-y-o (2) 8-y-o (2).
Weight: 5 winners carried 11st 5lbs or more.
Ratings: 7 winners had a rating of 142 or higher.
Starting Prices: Only one favourite has won in the last 10 years (Poquelin 7/2f, 2009). The other nine winners have ranged from 6/1 to 16/1.

Form:

10/10 had already run in the same season, of which eight had contested two or more races.
10/10 had previously raced at Cheltenham and four had won.
9/10 had previously won two or more chases.
9/10 had previously won over the distance.
8/10 had already won a race in the same season.
8/10 were either first or placed in their preceding race.
6/10 previous race was the BetVictor Gold Cup Chase.
4/10 had already won a Graded race.
3/10 were French bred.

Here is your runner-by-runner guide to the 16 competitors:

Cepage (Venetia Williams)

Finished second in this race last year and is 5lb better off with Riders Onthe Storm here after their recent Aintree encounter.

Williams’ runners in this race since 2014 read 1322 and the seven-year-old holds a solid chance.

Keeper Hill (Warren Greatrex)

Bounced backed to form last time at Haydock when the total outsider of the field and looked a real chasing type.

This will be just his eighth start over fences and he has won three times over them. Back and wind operations appear to have revived his fortunes.

Riders OnThe Storm (Nigel Twiston-Davies)

Won nicely at Aintree on his first start for Twiston-Davies after arriving from the Tom Taaffe yard.

The six-year-old accounted for Cepage and Old Grangewood on Merseyside but this stiffer track caught him out at The Festival and he now holds the dubious honour of being the favourite.

Secret Investor (Paul Nicholls)

The seven-year-old lifted three trophies last season, including at Wincanton and Ayr in the spring, before finishing second in a Down Royal Grade Two last month.

Completely different tactics will need to be employed from his last run, but if anybody has a good racing plan, it’s Paul Nicholls and he looks destined to run in some of 2020's biggest races.

Lalor (Kayley Woollacott)

After his wonderful chase debut at Cheltenham just over a year ago in the Grade 2 Arkle trial, Lalor’s form has been somewhat underwhelming.

His stamina shouldn’t be an issue here but he needs to bounce back rather quickly if is to trouble the judge on this occasion.

Benatar (Gary Moore)

The Gary Moore-trained Benatar was last seen finishing a very distant seventh to Cyrname at Ascot but is a decent horse on his day.

Any glimpses of the form from his novice chase season would see him in with a chance.

Robin Des Foret (Willie Mullins)

Second season chaser Robin Des Foret will always be of interest simply due to the Willie Mullins factor.

His second place to Burrows Saint over 3m½f at the end March was no mean feat and he is bound to attract plenty of each-way interest.

Imperial Presence (Philip Hobbs)

His two runs at Ascot in November hardly inspire any confidence and he is easy to cross off any list at the moment.

Spiritofthegames (Dan Skelton)

He has failed to pick up from where he left off this season and must have his connections scratching their heads. He’s definitely hard to recommend.

Knocknanuss (Gary Moore)

Enthusiastic sort who often spoils his chances by being too keen early on. If he can settle a little better with the application of any racing aids then he could run a big race.

Clondaw Castle (Tom George)

Tom George has had this race in mind for some time for the son of Oscar, and based upon his narrow defeat in the Byrne Group Handicap Chase last time, he must have a decent chance of building upon that run.

Brelan D'As (Paul Nicholls)

Happy Diva and Brelan d’As pulled well clear of the field in the BetVictor Chase and the JP McManus-owned runner gets in here with an attractive racing weight.

A reproduction of that run should see him right in the thick of it again. Keep up with the latest horse racing tips and news to find out more information on Brelan D'as and the other runners.

Good Man Pat (Alan King)

Showed plenty of promise on his return over nearly 3m at Ascot and he is bound to be a strip fitter for the outing.

The handicapper has dropped him 1lb since then and he represents a lethal trainer/jockey combination.

Generous Day (Henry Oliver)

Has won three times from six chase starts with the last of those wins coming at Kempton at the end of November.

He won at 33/1 that day but halving those odds for this much hotter contest seems rather over-reactionary.

Warthog (David Pipe)

Warthog finished an excellent third in the BetVictor Gold Cup at the November meeting, heading the field until two from home when he eventually began to tire.

Worryingly his form figures show that he tends to struggle next time out after a decent run.

Not That Fuisee (Dan Skelton)

He was never able to live with Torpillo at Warwick but he appears to have taken to the larger obstacles well and the handicap sphere should be more to his liking.

He lines up here with an absolute fly-weight on his back which can only be an extra advantage.

Caspian Caviar Gold Cup: Prediction

I’ve been made aware that there is a poignant back story behind the Tom George runner Clondaw Castle (nap) so that adds some extra weight and credence to me picking him each-way for this Saturday big race.

I also can see no reason why Venetia William’s Cepage (nb) shouldn’t run another massive race here and he has enough class to defy top weight.

888sport suggests: Clondaw Castle and Cepage (e/w).

*Credit for the main photo belongs to Mark J. Terrill / AP Photo*

December 13, 2019

Horse Racing

By Steve Mullington

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Steven is a sports and horse racing enthusiast and is a member of the Horseracing Writers and Photographers Association (HWPA) in the United Kingdom.

He writes for a number of websites and online publications and you can sometimes hear him at the weekend discussing racing on a number of local radio stations.

Steve Mullington

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Football Betting Guide For Beginners: Do's And The Don'ts

The world’s biggest sport has a formidable betting industry.

Football is not just more popular than every other sport (and by a considerable distance), its stars are also as famous as anyone in the world. With successful sport, betting so often follows – football is no different.

Football betting has evolved quickly, the internet, 4G and smartphones have become an integral part of the industry.

It can be a daunting area to get into, the terminology sometimes alien to those who aren’t familiar with it. Like our tennis betting guide, this article will guide you through all you need to know about football betting.

Outright Betting

As you navigate through 888’s sports betting markets to check out the football options, you will quickly realise just how many outright betting markets there are.

The worldwide game has leagues all over the planet, as a result, outright betting is available in tens of different tournaments.

Outright football betting can be anything backing a team to win the 2022 World Cup to the Championship Golden Boot winner.

The major leagues will have multiple outright markets, including Player of the Year betting and – for the Premier League, in particular – there will be a wide variety of different outright bets.

‘Best of the promoted clubs’ is always an interesting market ahead of a new season. Others include ‘league winner without Liverpool and Manchester City’ and ‘PFA Young Player of the Year’.

These bets are long-term usually, meaning bettors can have a long wait to find out if they’ve backed a winner.

In some cases, though, it can prove to be a way of getting extraordinary value (just ask anyone who put a wager on Leicester’s title-winning season).

Pre-Match Bets

Just as outright betting can be daunting, picking some pre-match bets ahead of a round of Champions League fixtures or Super Sunday can be tricky too.

888Sport have the bets organised into different categories, making it easier to navigate than some sites. Each of these ‘drop down’ when clicked on to show all the available bets.

The ‘most popular’ tab is at the top, usually including the full-time outcome, total goals, both teams to score and correct score.

The ‘full-time’ tab follows, which has a range of bets from half-time/full-time through to exact winning margin. Bettors can also wager on the over/under of goals for each team.

There’s also an area to make bets on either half. This can be picking a team to win the first or second half or a selection of other bets.

Match parlays (a combination of bets just for this match) are often available with 888Sport, too. The ‘asian lines’ section is popular with a lot of bettors, as the handicaps can be a good way to find value.

Markets for total cards in the match or for a team are usually on offer. Corners are often bet on, too.

Beyond that, there’s an array of player markets – these can be about a player receiving a card, scoring a goal or ‘specials’ such as assists or a combination of the previous three.

Scorecasts and wincasts can also be found in pre-match betting. Both work on picking a goalscorer (either anytime, first scorer or last scorer) and combining it with an outcome.

Scorecasts provide higher odds as they require the bettor to pick a score, while the wincasts just need to pick the result.

In-Play Betting

Betting 'in-play' has become an integral part of football betting.

Phones are out in pubs looking to find value, fans will sneakily place a bet while devouring their half-time pie on a Saturday afternoon. It requires quick decision-making, and can be a good way to make profit while watching a match.

Many of the markets are the same as pre-match betting, though things like ‘next goal scorer’ are added.

Bettors will often consider wagering on a goal to be scored in a specific time period, particularly if the match is opening up or one team is building pressure.

Some bookmakers will offer match streams to aid in-play betting.

The vast majority provide a diagram showing which team is attacking, which can help bettors follow the match.

Accumulator Betting

Football accumulators are popular, whether that’s scrambling together a few ‘both teams to score’ bets in the Champions League or trying to pick the winners of the top five European leagues.

Fans can use tools like 888Sport’s bet builder to make an accumulator on a given game, or they can put together their own selections.

It’s a way to find longer odds, often by combining a selection of heavily favored outcomes.

For instance, backing Juventus and Bayern to win their respective leagues hasn’t provided value in recent years, but putting them together and adding Barcelona to win La Liga to the mix is a way to potentially make it a worthwhile bet.

*Credit for the main photo belongs to Tim Ireland / AP Photo*

December 13, 2019

Football

By Sam Cox

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Our Top Renewals Of The King George VI Chase

For any keen National Hunt racing enthusiast, Christmas simply wouldn’t be Christmas without the veritable feast of action that takes place around the country on Boxing Day, with the highlight undoubtedly being the King George VI Chase at Kempton Park.

The Grade One contest was first held in 1937 and was named after the newly crowned King at the time. It was won by Southern Hero who, even to this day, remains the oldest winner of the race at 12 years old.

The King George VI Chase is synonymous with some of the most famous names in racing with Arkle, Pendil, Wayward Lad and Kauto Star all taking their place on the roll of honour, with Clan Des Obeaux joining that esteemed list in 2018.

But who will join those greats in 2019? Well, that remains to be seen and many of you will have taken an ante post view already so we wish you luck with your St Stephen’s Day fancy.

In the meantime, let’s take a look back at what we consider to be six of the best King George’s of the last 40 years:

Teeton Mill (1998)

In time honoured tradition yet another grey won the King George VI Chase in 1998 in the shape of the Venetia Williams-trained Teeton Mill at odds of 7/2.

This “White Christmas” phenomenon followed on from the likes of Desert Orchid and One Man who had dominated the Boxing Day showpiece for the previous decade.

In testing conditions, Teeton Mill and his rider Normal Williamson jumped their rivals into submission one by one, beating Escartefigue by 6 lengths, with a distance back to the third, Imperial Call. The writing was on the wall for many a long way from home.

The popular grey landed the Badger Ales Trophy, Hennessy Gold Cup and the King George VI Chase in what was a magnificent spell of action in late 1998 for all of those who were involved with the horse.

Wayward Lad (1982)

The first of Wayward Lad’s three King George’s came in 1982 when he beat the Mackeson winner Fifty Dollars More in an exciting finish, with Dickinson’s other runner - the 1979 and 1980 winner Silver Buck, back in third.

Trained by Michael Dickinson at the time, Wayward Lad was the new kid on the block in 1982 and his jockey John Francome took great glee at how circumstances had panned out that particular Boxing Day.

Francome said: “I remember the year I won on Wayward Lad taking great pleasure in the success because the runner-up, Fifty Dollars More, was a horse I’d been jocked off from Fred Winter’s yard, because he was owned by Sheikh Ali Abu Khamsin who retained Richard Linley.”

The Fellow (1991)

When Francois Doumen first introduced himself to the British racing public on Boxing Day 1987, it was on the back of the dethroning of the people’s favourite Desert Orchid at even money by his chaser Nupsala, an unconsidered 25/1 shot.

Four years later, Doumen was back on British shores, rattling feathers again with an even better chaser than before, this time one called The Fellow.

After three wins from five races at Auteuil, including the Grand Steeplechase de Paris, the six-year-old put in a faultless display of jumping at Kempton to lead approaching the last, scoring decisively in the end from Docklands Express at the generous starting price of 10/1.

The Fellow came back the following year to capture the King George once again and after two previous near misses, he finally became a Cheltenham Gold Cup winner in 1994.

He will always epitomise a great era of French raiders that regularly competed at Kempton and will always be remembered in the King George VI Chase history books.

One Man (1996)

One Man, in December 1996, won the race in a record time of five minutes and 45 seconds on good to firm ground, bringing home the trophy for the North once again after capturing it twelve months earlier.

He was trained by the late Gordon Richards, who nicknamed the horse his “bouncing rubber ball”.

When his 32-year-old jockey Richard Dunwoody (MBE) won the King George in 1996 he became the first rider to win it four times. This record stood until 2011 when Ruby Walsh made it a total of five victories in the race- all aboard Kauto Star.

Kauto Star (2011)

One of the most memorable performances in the history of jumps racing was when Kauto Star won his fifth King George at the Surrey track.

The 11-year-old, who appeared to be on the wane when beaten in the same race 12 months prior, defeated the reigning champion, Long Run, by a length and a quarter, with a yawning gap back to third-placed Captain Chris. In doing so he surpassed Desert Orchid as the most successful horse in the history of the race.

Kauto Star, a 3-1 chance in the horse racing odds, jumped superbly throughout the race and always had the measure over the evens favourite Long Run.

Five King George victories is going to be a record that we probably won’t see equalled or beaten in our own lifetimes, so just reflect and rejoice at what Kauto Star achieved in this video:

Desert Orchid (1990)

For one generation of racing fans, Christmas will forever be associated with one horse – Desert Orchid.

Between 1986 and 1990, “Dessie” as he was affectionately known by the racing fraternity and the wider general public, won the King George VI Chase four times, with the 1990 renewal probably going down as being his best one, simply due to the fact he did it gutsily at the age of eleven.

The field that day was a vintage one. Desert Orchid’s eight rivals were made up of Celtic Shot, Sabin Du Loir, Toby Tobias, The Fellow, Nick The Brief, Panto Prince, Espy and Prize Asset.

As they approached the first fence in the home straight, Desert Orchid began to pull several lengths clear of his rivals which sent the assembled crowd delirious with excitement.

This was Dessie, this was Christmas, this was another date with destiny- the crescendo of noise from the roaring masses almost appeared to lift the galloping grey further and further away from his toiling rivals in behind.

This was a King George that those who witnessed it in person, they will never forget.

*Credit for the main photo belongs to Alan Crowhurst / AP Photo*

December 12, 2019

Horse Racing

By Steve Mullington

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Steven is a sports and horse racing enthusiast and is a member of the Horseracing Writers and Photographers Association (HWPA) in the United Kingdom.

He writes for a number of websites and online publications and you can sometimes hear him at the weekend discussing racing on a number of local radio stations.

Steve Mullington

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