Tennis betting is split into a few different areas. There are pre-tournament bets, looking to pick a winner of an individual event. In-match betting is popular, too – more information on that can be found in our in-play tennis betting guide.
It is one of the most popular sports to bet on. Tennis, unlike many sports, is played all-year round with plenty of matches played almost every day of the calendar year.
Tournaments come thick and fast for those who favour outright betting. It is well-suited to accumulators, such is the intensity of the schedule. There’s no waiting until next weekend to find out if you’re going to be collecting your winnings.
The Grand Slams – Australian Open, French Open, Wimbledon and Roland Garros – are unsurprisingly the most popular events.
There are plenty of other high-profile tournaments, however, such as Masters events and the Davis Cup. Odds to win the major tournaments are often available months in advance.
What Tennis Bets Are Available?
For those new to tennis betting, it can be a daunting page to visit on a bookmaker’s website. The range of betting options – which make it such a popular sport – is vast from each-way tournament winners through to the winner of the next point.
In-play betting allows bettors to place a wager on anything from the next point to the eventual winner of the match. There are plenty of markets in between.
Exact score markets are available for the game, set and match. There are options to back a tie-breaker or over a certain number of tie-breakers in the match. As in most sports, there are plenty of under/over options – in tennis, this includes games, sets and total points won.
Pre-match betting includes many of the same markets. Handicap betting is particularly popular and an important part of tennis betting strategy. It’s a good way to find value on heavily favoured players and can be a means of constructing an accumulator at a great price.
888sport offer outright tournament betting throughout major events. Odds are already available for all four Grand Slams in 2020. Bookies will often offer long-term specials, too, such ‘Kim Clijsters to be ranked top 20 before 10th November 2020’.
Top Tennis Tournaments For Betting
Whether the men’s tour (ATP) or women’s tour (WTA), there are always plenty of matches for bettors to analyse. Value is out there, even if it takes some research into lesser-known players.
Men’s tennis is split into three tiers; ATP tour, ATP Challenger Tour and ITF Futures Tour.
The ATP is still ‘under’ the ITF, but it takes control of most men’s events in the tennis calendar apart from Grand Slams, the Davis Cup and the Olympics.
Players collect points from their performances at events which they ‘keep’ for 12 months and contributes to their ranking. The same system is in place for the WTA tour.
The Challenger Tour is an interesting area for bettors and can be a good place to find value. Players outside the top 80 are usually found here, as are youngsters. Seasoned veterans occasionally drop into the Challenger Tour if they have seen their ranking drop.
Like the ATP, the WTA tour is still under the control of the ITF but runs its own events throughout the year. While the Big Three continue to dominate men’s tennis, the WTA tour is crucial as you research ahead of a big event.
Upsets are more common in women’s tennis and the best bettors will often be able to identify good value by analysing previous WTA matches.
How To Find Value In Tennis Betting
The number of options to bet on tennis are a positive, but they can also make it harder to find that hidden gem of the day. If there are 50 matches happening, not every one is going to have a value price available.
Sifting through the matches that don’t offer anything worthwhile is crucial to finding good value in tennis betting. As in any sport, the key is finding bets where the implied probability differs from your own probability.
An example of this might be Roger Federer against a lesser-known, but in-form player. Federer’s price, largely because of his popularity, is sometimes shorter than it should be.
If the odds imply an 80% chance of a Federer victory, but you think it’s closer to 60%, there’s value to be found either in backing Federer’s opponent or maybe in a handicap bet.
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.
Neck-and-neck in 2018/19, Manchester City and Liverpool are far and away the best two Premier League teams in 2019/20, too.
Jurgen Klopp and Pep Guardiola have started to get into the top-of-the-table rivalry spirit as well, firing across the occasional remark that can be labelled ‘mind games’ and referred to as a ‘war of words’ in the tabloids.
Liverpool have been superb so far this term. Manchester City have been vulnerable defensively. With what’s at stake, this could be one of the Premier League’s biggest wins – Liverpool would be very hard to stop if they claim victory on Sunday.
In true pre-big-match fashion, we’ve compiled a combined XI of the Premier League’s two top teams…
Alisson Becker
As good as a toss of a coin, this.
Alisson and Ederson are the two best goalkeepers in the Premier League, superb at reading the game and good distributors. Ederson is the better passer of the two, but Alisson just gets the edge as a shotstopper.
Ederson went off injured at half-time during Manchester City’s match against Atalanta in midweek. If he’s absent this Sunday it could have a major impact on Premier League Odds.
Alexander-Arnold has his issues defensively, but as an offensive player, he might just the best at his position. In this theoretical team, Alexander-Arnold would have license to play as he does for Liverpool.
His creativity would make a real difference against the inevitable low blocks.
Virgil van Dijk
Virgil van Dijk hasn’t been at his very best this term – Joel Matip has been superb – but there was no way the big Dutchman could be left out of this side.
Few defenders transform a unit like van Dijk did at Liverpool. The defense is notably more assured when he’s on the field.
Photo credit: Francisco Seco / AP Photo
Aymeric Laporte
Like many players, Aymeric Laporte was underrated until his injury. City’s defense has been comedic in his absence.
He’s not going to feature this weekend, but there’s no question the Frenchman is the best non-van-Dijk defender in the Premier League.
Matip has staked a claim for this spot in the side, but a healthy Laporte is still well ahead of him..
Andrew Robertson
Probably the easiest pick in the back five, Andy Robertson is an offensive force and isn’t as vulnerable defensively as Alexander-Arnold.
None of City’s options come close to Robertson. He’s not quite as varied as an attacking player as Alexander-Arnold, but that’s hardly a criticism.
Fabinho
Fernandinho has owned this spot in recent years. Fabinho has succeeded the Manchester City spoiler as the top defensive midfielder in the Premier League, however.
The lynchpin of the Liverpool midfield, Fabinho’s presence allows Klopp to tweak the midfielders around him while keeping the defence protected.
His role dealing with Kevin De Bruyne and one of the Silvas this weekend will be vital.
Kevin de Bruyne
Kevin De Bruyne, like a few others in this team, would deserve a spot in a World XI. As a result, a place in the midfield trio of this combined XI is obvious.
The Belgian is on course to shatter all manner of Premier League assist records. He’s got over double as many assists as anyone else so far this season.
De Bruyne has played some of the greatest passes in Premier League history – even if you know what he’s going to do, it’s not easy to stop it.
David Silva
Although he’s unavailable for this weekend, David Silva gets the nod over his namesake Bernardo for the second advanced midfielder spot.
These are the positions City excel in, and while Naby Keita remains no more than a squad player, it’s Liverpool’s main weakness.
Silva, who was named in our all-time Premier League XI not so long ago, has aged gracefully. Just a couple of months from his 34th birthday, he’s still one of the best midfielders around.
Photo credit: Rui Vieira / AP Photo
Sadio Mane
The Sadio Mane versus Mo Salah debate has been bubbling along for a long time.
Mane has been superb throughout 2019, and he offers more to the team than his teammate Salah, who remains a relentless goalscorer.
Mane is a nightmare for opposition defenders. His movement is intelligent, and electrically fast. He presses well and his close control is underrated.
Sergio Aguero
Roberto Firmino is great at what he does, but he can’t keep Sergio Aguero – one of the all-time Premier League greats – out of this side.
Aguero is as clinical as they come and well on his way to pass 20 Premier League goals for a sixth successive season.
The City star has been an elite striker for almost a decade. His standing among the best Premier League strikers ever will only be truly appreciated once he departs.
Raheem Sterling
The development of Raheem Sterling under Pep Guardiola has been phenomenal.
The former Liverpool man will be met with a chorus of boos this weekend, but he presents perhaps the greatest threat to Klopp’s side, attacking from the left.
Sterling has posted numbers that rightly put him in the conversation with Kylian Mbappe and Mane as the best winger in the world.
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.
Roger Federer is the second favourite in the latest ATP Tour odds – he’s 38 years old. Federer first won the ATP Tour Finals, then known as the Tennis Masters Cup, in 2003, when he defeated Andre Agassi in straight sets.
The season-ending competition is just one example of Federer’s sustained greatness. He remains a sports betting favourite at every tournament he enters.
Longevity is a key component of any ‘greatest’ debate. Federer ticks that box as emphatically as anyone in sport.
Tennis players’ careers are not meant to span three decades like Federer’s is about to, let alone doing so while remaining a frontrunner to win Grand Slams.
Other 'Greatest' Contenders
To properly evaluate Federer’s place among the greats, we must first take a look at others in that echelon.
Muhammad Ali, Jesse Owens, Martina Navratilova, Wayne Gretzky and Babe Ruth all belong in that inner circle. As do Johan Cruyff, Michael Schumacher and Lewis Hamilton.
Not many would dispute Federer’s name in this group. His place as the greatest of all-time in the world of tennis is questioned in some quarters, however, which might suggest Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic deserve to join this collection of superhuman sportspeople.
That’s fair enough, of course, but neither have the longevity of Federer. It is the length of Federer’s career that is so astonishing, even when compared to some of the aforementioned names.
Jordan’s career spanned as long a period, but that included two retirements from professional basketball. Messi has a way to go before reaching the same tenure of supremacy and Woods was effectively out of the sport through injury for a long period.
The ability to comeback is a skill itself, but it’s testament to Federer’s greatness that he has only missed one Grand Slam through injury since the turn of the century.
Weaker Era?
The main criticism of the Big Three’s dominance of men’s tennis has been a favourable era. Federer, in particular, suffers from this because of his successes through the middle of the noughties.
There’s a case to be made that, prior to Nadal and Djokovic, Federer was taking advantage of a weaker period at the top of the sport, and it allowed him to collect Grand Slams at an exaggerated rate.
With no Nadal, Djokovic or even Andy Murray in Federer’s early years, he won his first seven Grand Slam finals. From 2004 through to 2007, Federer won 11 of 16 Grand Slams on offer. A period of dominance almost unheard of.
It was the latter part of that run when the duels with Nadal began and soon after, Djokovic and Murray appeared on the scene. Federer obviously didn’t keep up his obscene record, and whether that harms his legacy – or is a case of natural decline – is subjective.
All of the greats have critics, there will be people who downplay the achievements of everyone mentioned earlier in this piece.
Federer is no different – how much credibility you give to that line of criticism will obviously a major impact on your view on him as the greatest ever sportsperson.
Unrivalled Winning
Federer’s place in the big three hierarchy is heavily reliant on his sheer number of trophies as much as it is longevity. Those two things go hand in hand to an extent.
Maintaining his status as the holder of the most Grand Slams seems increasingly improbable with Nadal and Djokovic retaining such a high standard despite injuries and heading into their thirties.
The Swiss not only owns an impressive collection of trophies, shields and medals, he’s got an encyclopaedia-worth of records to his name.
From being the only player to have won two or more Grand Slam titles in four consecutive years to having appeared in eight or more semi-finals at every Grand Slam, Federer owns records that are unreachable even for many greats, such is the frequency of injuries in tennis.
His 40th birthday is no longer on the horizon, it’s in the near-future, yet Federer betting tips are just as important as ever.
Federer's Legacy
Comparing across sports and era has challenges, but it’s hard to argue against Federer being among the greatest sportspeople ever.
His impact on men’s tennis since defeating Mark Philippoussis in the 2003 Wimbledon final cannot be overstated, and there’s something to be said for how widely liked Federer is.
Ranking Federer, who might yet add to his tally of 20 Grand Slams, should probably wait until after his career. His position in the top 20 or so is certain, however.
The next five years for Federer, Nadal and Djokovic could see their respective positions among the greatest ever sportspeople adjust significantly.
The prospect of Federer competing for Grand Slams into his forties is enough to elevate him seriously into the conversation as greatest ever.
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.
Tennis is a versatile sport to bet on. From placing a wager on the winner of the next point through to backing the winner of next year’s Grand Slams, tennis has an array of markets for bettors to evaluate.
Tennis futures betting is the focus of this article, as we look at the options available and things to consider. Split into different categories, stay with us for a run through of everything you need to know about tennis futures betting.
Long Term Tennis Betting
This article is being written in 2019 and odds are available for all four 2020 Grand Slams with 888sport. While there and positives and negatives to placing a wager this far in advance (we’ll cover those in a bit), many people will take advantage of the option.
How early odds are available will vary from bookmaker to bookmaker, but it’s certainly something to keep an eye out for. If you’ve benefited from 888sport tennis offers and promotions, you might have collected a few free bets along the way.
This can also play to your benefit. Free bets will often have a set time period on them, and if tennis betting markets are open a long time before the tournament begins, it gives an opportunity to use those bets on a tournament even if the first serve is months away.
Injury Issues: Follow Latest News
The obvious alarm bell with any long-term sports bet. Player fitness is unpredictable from game to game, let alone projecting for a tournament in several months’ time.
Tennis players will clock hours of competitive action between one Grand Slam and the next, and that’s before we even consider the grind they put in during practice.
A messy injury history should put you off a long-term tennis bet. In the same way, a player renowned for their fitness could be a good wager if you expect some of their fellow contenders to suffer with injuries.
Niggling injuries are hard to judge, and they’re always playing on the mind when a wager is placed. Being susceptible to injury-caused absences is a particularly key factor in long-term betting, especially if the event comes towards the end of a busy period.
Tennis Futures Betting: Advantages
The uncertainty of betting with a long period until the tournament starts isn’t always a negative. Sometimes, it can turn out to work in the bettors favour.
Bookmakers have to deal with that same uncertainty, they set their prices without knowing which players will definitely take part and unaware of potential upcoming poor form.
If, for instance, it’s a tournament that you expect one of the big three to sit out, others in the market could suddenly appear to be great value.
Photo credit: Adam Hunger / AP Photo
Serena Williams deciding to play in one warm up tournament over another opens up the betting drastically. Early signs of a Rafael Nadal injury could suddenly make Dominic Thiem a brilliant pick to win the 2020 French Open.
Were you particularly impressed by a players’ performance at Queen’s in 2019? Could they be an outside bet to win Wimbledon 2020?
Future tournament betting gives that option, it provides a chance to back a player before they become popular. Perhaps the player that caught your eye is the next star and you can put your money behind them before their odds drop.
Tennis Futures Betting: Disadvantages
Like any betting, placing tennis futures bets has a few disadvantages. Weighing these up against the respective advantages for each wager is crucial.
We’ve mentioned injuries, which are the most obvious factor. Tennis is also particularly unpredictable from year-to-year or month-to-month.
Players like Naomi Osaka and Stefanos Tsitsipas have been good examples of this over the last couple of seasons, breaking through from nowhere and suffering from prolonged periods of poor form and underachievement.
Careers rise quickly and fall just as dramatically. ATP Tour odds are upset, and surprise quarter-finalists at Grand Slams are common. No one is a lock for a place in the semi-finals.
Filling out a Grand Slam bracket is an impossible challenge on the opening day of the tournament. The further you get from that first match, the trickier predictions become. Identifying the value longshot option at the 2020 US Open in November 2019 is hard.
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.
The weather is such an integral part of horse racing when you sit down and analyse it.
It can potentially ruin or make an owners/trainers/jockeys/punters day. If you do your homework the weather can be a really useful variable in your betting strategy.
Turf and All-Weather Courses:
Turf racing takes place on grass, whereas all-weather racing is run on a more robust surface typically made up of a synthetic rubber/sand/wax mixture called “Tapeta” or alternatively just sand on its own.
In Europe most of the racing takes place on the turf and it is significantly affected by weather conditions, whereas the all-weather rarely has any issues to contend with.
Rainfall has huge influence on horse racing and it will decide the going conditions at a racecourse.
Too little rain and the turf becomes hard, meaning there is less “give” under a horse’s foot than usual and the track is then either described as “Good” or “Good to Firm”.
Some horses like the turf hard underfoot and the track rattling quick, and those are the horses to follow mainly in the summer months when there is the most sunshine.
Conversely when the rain has been falling constantly the turf becomes soft and then the racecourse will either describe their going as “Good to Soft” or “Heavy”.
This type of going is generally the norm during the winter months but it has been known to happen occasionally during the summer.
The advantage of having an all-weather surface at your racecourse (Fibresand, Tapeta, Polytrack) is that it allows racing to go ahead even when there is heavy rain or frost.
A standard turf racing fixture would not be able to race but an all-weather meeting can because their surface can handle such extremes in the weather.
The term “all-weather” racing can actually be somewhat of a misnomer as it is impossible to race in thick fog and you cannot race anywhere if the track is under a blanket of snow.
Typically around 5-8 racedays are lost each winter due to snow or heavy frosts. Unfortunately there is very little than can be done about this.
Whilst the track may be clear and the frost covers may have done their job, there are still logistical problems in getting horses, staff and race goers to a race meeting for it even to take place.
Cancelled meetings are a disaster for racing. Bookies cannot take bets which reduces how much levy is collected to go back into racing; jockeys cannot ride so therefore they do not get paid and even freelance writers like myself miss out on a wage too because there is no racing to preview and review.
Snow and frost are the worst possible nightmare for trainers and it really throws a spanner into their methodical training regimes.
Here are just a few examples of the problems for trainers when we experience a cold snap.
Frozen water - It is difficult to supply fresh water for the horses.
Frozen automatic mangers - Extra work required to feed the horses.
Frozen yards - Too slippery to walk out horses.
Frozen / snowed gallops - Cannot work out horses at full stretch.
Overcrowded horse walkers - Some horses will not get any kind of work out at all.
Using The "Going" To Your Advantage
The going is essential when you are looking at horse racing odds. You should check how a horse previously performed under certain conditions e.g fast going, slow going, soft going, quick going etc.
For any selection you make, try to match the current going on the day with that horse’s past performance. If it regularly performs well under specific weather conditions then there is a very high probability that it will do so again.
An example of this theory being put into practice is in my recent preview of the Charlie Hall Chase at Wetherby.
When assessing the form of all the runners I established that the eventual winner Ballyoptic would not be inconvenienced the going underfoot, writing:
“The Nigel Twiston-Davies-trained Ballyoptic will certainly have fitness on his side after he stoically carried top-weight to victory at Chepstow on October 12. Twiston-Davies is the most successful trainer in the history of the Charlie Hall Chase, winning it five times.
Stamina will not be an issue for the nine-year-old as his second place in the 2018 Scottish Grand National so proved.”
Stamina and the going are intrinsically linked when it comes to studying the form and Ballyoptic was literally standing off the page as the main pick on this occasion, especially when more and more rain arrived on the actual raceday.
Unfortunately I never heeded my own advice when it came down to giving a nap in that race because I also thought that some of the other runners had an equally good chance on the predicted Wetherby going on the Thursday before the race.
Going, Going, Gone!
In my own defence and that of other tipsters/pundits, it is worth bearing in mind that track conditions do not always remain consistent throughout a raceday.
In the UK and Ireland the weather can suddenly take a turn for the worst so the bets you place early (especially antepost wagers) under a certain racing condition will not necessarily hold the same value on the “off” after the weather has impacted on the track.
Hindsight is a wonderful thing, but if you had asked me at 2.00pm on Saturday afternoon after witnessing the deluge of rain that had saturated the West Yorkshire track, my new selection based on the going would have been Ballyoptic.
No Aftertime Ansell jokes please!
*Credit for the main photo belongs to Mark J. Terrill / AP Photo*
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.
With the midweek Champions League fixtures out of the way, attention turns to Thursday’s Europa League matches. Four clubs are flying the flag for the Premier League while Celtic and Rangers are representing Scotland.
The Europa League is notorious for entertainment and goals could be the order of the day ahead of matchday four. Without further ado, let’s take a look at four of the biggest games taking place on Thursday night.
Lazio vs Celtic
At the time of writing, Lazio are fourth in the Serie A table and the home fans will expect a big performance here. Three points will see Lazio move to just one point behind Celtic with two group games remaining – there is still everything to play for.
Celtic and Rangers are matching strides in the Scottish Premiership but Neil Lennon’s side must now turn their attention to Thursday’s Europa League clash. Currently sitting pretty at the top of Group E, a positive result is vital for momentum.
The selection landed a fortnight ago and another high-scoring affair looks likely. The 13/8 on offer for both teams to score could be the way to go.
TIP: Both teams to score (13/8)
Manchester United vs Partizan Belgrade
Currently top of Group L, Man United know that a win here will probably be enough to seal progression to the knockout stages. Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side have been up and down in 2019/20 though and this has banana skin written all over it.
Partizan Belgrade held their own against Man United on home soil but this is a greatest test and we could see the visitors crumble at Old Trafford. If the Serbian outfit can silence the home crowd, confidence will grow and a shock could be on the cards.
The 5/6 available in football betting odds for United to win the first half is well worth taking. If the Red Devils are at their brilliant best, they will be difficult to stop in this clash.
TIP: Man United to lead at half-time (5/6)
Rangers vs FC Porto
Write Rangers off at your peril. Steven Gerrard’s side have been sublime this season, giving Celtic a real challenge at the top of the Scottish Premiership. In Europe, Rangers are in with a real chance of qualification – three points here will really help.
Porto are level on points with Rangers ahead of their trip to Glasgow and the visitors know that a loss will hinder their chances of progression. On paper, Porto tick all the right boxes for success this season but they haven’t been up to their usual high standard.
Punters should take the 16/25 for both teams to score. Gerrard’s men usually score at Ibrox while Porto are solid going forward – this is arguably the best bet of the night.
TIP: Both teams to score (16/25)
Wolverhampton Wanderers vs Slovan Bratislava
A win for Wolves will put the Premier League side on the cusp of the knockout stages with two group games remaining. It won’t be straightforward but Nuno Espirito Santo’s side have lost just one of their last 10 games in all competitions.
Slovan Bratislava have been very hit and miss this season but it would be foolish to write them off completely ahead of this clash. On paper, Wolves are the superior outfit but the Slovakian giants will be hoping that their latest domestic triumph gives them a boost.
Taking everything into account, it is hard to back against Wolves at Molineux. 5/2 for the hosts to emerge victorious with both teams scoring could turn out to be a very good price.
TIP: Wolves to win and both teams to score (5/2)
*Credit for the main photo belongs to Marko Drobnjakovic / AP Photo*
Alex is a sports betting tipster, specialising in Premier League football, the Champions League and horse racing.
He loves placing a weekly accumulator on the football at the weekend and dreams of landing the big winner that will take him back to Las Vegas.
As well as writing sports betting tips for 888sport since 2015, Alex has produced content for several international media companies, such as Goal.com and The SPORTBible.
We’re midway through the 2019/20 Champions League group stages and some teams are already on the cusp of qualification. All four Premier League clubs have been shining in this year’s competition and neutrals will be hoping for success in the coming months.
As things stand, Manchester City, Liverpool, Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur are all sitting pretty in the qualifying spots. Defeat on matchday four is out of the question – scroll down for our best Champions League bets of the week…
Chelsea vs Ajax
Write Frank Lampard’s side off at your peril. Chelsea have been sensational in recent weeks and plenty of punters will be backing the Blues ahead of this clash. A win here will put the Premier League side firmly in control of top spot in Group H.
Ajax are six points clear at the top of the Dutch Eredivisie table and the visitors could settle for a point at Stamford Bridge. A draw for the Dutch giants will give Ajax a solid chance of finishing in the top two ahead of the knockout stages.
Chelsea were sublime in Amsterdam two weeks ago and Lampard’s side could prevail again on Tuesday night. Take the 43/20 for a Blues win with both teams scoring.
TIP: Chelsea to win and both teams to score(43/20)
Liverpool vs Genk
Jurgen Klopp will be demanding a big effort here – a win will move Liverpool one step closer to the last-16. As defending European champions, defeat against Genk would be embarrassing and detrimental to Liverpool’s hopes of retaining the crown.
Genk have struggled to inspire confidence at domestic level and the Belgian side may find themselves under the cosh on Tuesday night. The visitors conceded four against Liverpool just two weeks ago and things could get ugly if the Reds grab an early goal.
With Man City looming, Klopp’s men will want to get this contest done and dusted with minimal fuss. 8/11 for two or more first half goals is the way to go.
TIP: Over 1.5 first half goals(8/11)
Atalanta vs Manchester City
Atalanta have been bitterly disappointing in this season’s Champions League but plenty of punters will fancy the hosts to challenge City here. Defensively, they can be found wanting from time-to-time but Atalanta can cause problems in the final third.
Expect Man City to put Atalanta to the sword on Wednesday evening. The Italian side are capable of giving anyone a game on home turf but City should prove too strong. A win for the visitors might be enough to secure top spot in Group C.
This is a risky pick. Atalanta have been hit and miss this season and 29/10 for Man City to win to nil is worth a speculative punt – that could turn out t be a huge price.
TIP: Man City to win to nil(29/10)
Red Star Belgrade vs Tottenham Hotspur
A win for Red Star will move them above Spurs in the group stage table with just two games to play. Belgrade isn’t the most welcoming venue to play football and Tottenham may find themselves under pressure early on – expect the hostile atmosphere to test Spurs.
You don’t need to take a Champions League quiz to remember that Tottenham reached the final of this competition last season but it has been tough sledding for Spurs in 2019/20. A win here will significantly lift the mood at the new White Hart Lane.
The 7/10 available for Tottenham to claim three points is well worth snapping up. Red Star are likely to come out of the blocs quickly but Spurs should prove too strong in the end.
TIP: Tottenham to win(7/10)
*Credit for the main photo belongs to Dave Thompson / AP Photo*
Alex is a sports betting tipster, specialising in Premier League football, the Champions League and horse racing.
He loves placing a weekly accumulator on the football at the weekend and dreams of landing the big winner that will take him back to Las Vegas.
As well as writing sports betting tips for 888sport since 2015, Alex has produced content for several international media companies, such as Goal.com and The SPORTBible.
The Washington Nationals defied all odds to win the 2019 World Series. Washington are, naturally, in the running to win the 2020 Fall Classic, but there are plenty of other franchises ahead of the Nats when it comes to the latest MLB odds.
888sport offers an array of online betting options for baseball, and the Nationals are at 12/1 to retain their title at the start of the next decade.
Whether you’re getting into the sport and flicking through baseball for dummies, or a seasoned campaigner with a long-running MLB.TV pass, everyone wants to know who will be in contention for the 2020 World Series.
Here are a few of the main contenders…
The Big Three:
Houston Astros
One game away from making it two titles in three years, the Houston Astros have been the American League’s main force in recent seasons.
A good bet to pass the 100-win mark once again, the Astros don’t represent great value to win the World Series with ace Gerrit Cole set to leave Minute Maid Park.
The line-up remains fearsome, and Zack Greinke and Justin Verlander are a monstrous one-two punch, but the loss of Cole is significant.
New York Yankees
Despite injuries, the Yankees cruised to supremacy in the American League East in 2019. There’s little to suggest they won’t do so again in 2020.
Brian Cashman will be one of the general managers chasing Cole and Stephen Strasburg, as New York look to build a pitching staff as domineering as their offence.
Their spending approach has altered in recent years, but another postseason disappointment suggests Cashman will be aggressive this winter. It could be a good time to back the Yankees – their price will drop if Cashman lands Cole or Strasburg.
Los Angeles Dodgers
The third team at 11/2, the Los Angeles Dodgers are looking to bounce back from a Division Series defeat to the Nationals. Los Angeles have owned the National League in the second half of the 2010s, but they still haven’t won a World Series since 1988.
They will comfortably be the best team in the National League West and have several prospects ready to make a serious impact at the Major League level.
Constructing a lockdown bullpen will be the Dodgers’ priority this offseason – they could make a move for former Giants closer Will Smith.
Dangerous Pair At 12s:
Atlanta Braves
Atlanta were toppled by the Cardinals in the Division Series after another stellar regular season.
Prospects, such as Cristian Pache, should bolster an already deep roster at the start of the 2020 campaign, but the probable departure of Josh Donaldson leaves a major hole to fill in the line-up.
There’s been a reluctance to hand out long deals in recent winters, and understandably so. This is a big offseason for the Braves, though, and it will be interesting to see how Alex Anthopoulos approaches it.
Uncertainty looms over the Washington Nationals. Mike Rizzo faces a challenging offseason with superstar third baseman Anthony Rendon and World Series MVP Strasburg heading for free agency.
Their success was all the more impressive because of their bullpen struggles – the relief group needs addressing. Evaluating Washington’s chances depends a lot on where you think Rendon and Strasburg will end up.
With the Phillies and Mets waiting to pounce, the reigning champions could easily end up finishing fourth if things don’t go their way.
Big Market Threats:
Boston Red Sox
After glory in 2018, the 2019 season was a write-off for the Red Sox. So many players enjoyed career years in ’18, and a combination of pitching injuries and regression saw them tumble into the midriff of the American League East.
An unwillingness to spend makes it hard to see Boston threatening the Yankees in 2020. Their farm is one of the worst in baseball, too.
They’ve got the talent and experience to be a contender if everyone plays to their best, but it seems unlikely.
Chicago Cubs
Much like the Red Sox, the Cubs have enjoyed a parade recently and aren’t keen on spending much more than their current payroll.
They’ve got a much better shot at winning their division than the Red Sox do, however, and look a good bet at 20/1 to go all the way.
Invention Succeeds:
Oakland Athletics, Tampa Bay Rays
Two of the smallest markets in Major League Baseball, the Athletics and Rays have been punching well above their weight over the last two seasons and met in the wildcard in 2019.
Neither are going to be signing Cole or Rendon this winter, but they may well end up making the smartest moves of the offseason.
Tampa Bay are 20/1 to win the World Series in 2020, Oakland are priced at 25/1. Considering their performances in 2019, those prices represent great value in this market.
End Of Rebuilds:
San Diego Padres, Chicago White Sox
Both teams were in the running for Manny Machado last summer. Machado ended up in California alongside rookie sensation Fernando Tatis Jr. The excitement was centred on San Diego last season, but there were signs of positivity at Guaranteed Rate Field, too.
The Padres are 40/1, which is roughly where we’d expect them to be at this point. Don’t rule them out of another big free agent move this winter, though, which could change that price quickly.
The White Sox at 66/1 is tempting – they’ve got a clearer path to the postseason than San Diego.
*Credit for the main photo belongs to Sue Ogrocki / AP Photo*
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.
Picking an all-time Champions League XI is a challenging task. Evaluating players solely on European displays isn’t easy, and the balance between individual accolades and team success is a difficult one.
The answers to many a Champions League quiz question feature in our XI, other all-time great Champions League players miss out.
Stalwarts of teams that frequently topped the Champions League winner odds, such as the late noughties, early 2010s Barcelona, populate this team accompanied by others who featured for multiple Champions League contenders.
Gianluigi Buffon
With 130 Champions League appearances to his name, but sadly no winners’ medal, Gianluigi Buffon pips Iker Casillas to top spot between the sticks.
Five times named in the UEFA Team of the Year and with four top 10 Ballon d’Or finishes, Buffon has a glittering individual CV despite a lack of team glory on Europe’s biggest stage.
Buffon has aged as well as any goalkeeper in the modern era, remaining one of the best shotstoppers in world football deep into his thirties.
Philipp Lahm
Once a winner and twice a runner-up in the Champions League, Philipp Lahm regularly featured in the latter stages of the competition.
Lahm was one of the most consistent players in European football, and adapted his game throughout his career, including a move into midfield under Pep Guardiola.
Since the first UEFA Team of the Year in 2000/01, only six players have been named in the XI more often than the Bayern icon.
Alessandro Nesta
Paired with Paolo Maldini (more about him in a bit), Alessandro Nesta led Milan to a clean sheet against Juventus in the 2003 Champions League final.
At his peak, Nesta was the best central defender in the world – he was named in the UEFA Team of the Year in three straight seasons from 2002 to 2004 and achieved his fourth and final selection in 2007.
With two winners’ medals in his immense trophy cabinet, Nesta was a lock for this side.
Sergio Ramos
Only Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo have been named in the UEFA Team of the Year more than Sergio Ramos. Controversial yet always entertaining, there’s no questioning Ramos’ pedigree and his ability to deliver in the biggest matches.
Ramos was as key as anyone in Real Madrid’s four Champions League triumphs in recent seasons. Emotional, sure, but he’s a player you want on your side when that famous anthem plays.
With an ice-cool defence around him, Ramos would be perfect for this side.
Paolo Maldini
What a footballer. Paolo Maldini have a good enough CV to make it into an all-time European Cup side.
His career in the Champions League was up to standard to slot in here, too. His display at centre-back in that 2003 final against Juventus was absolutely majestic.
Maldini’s best known as a left-back, and while much of his Champions League displays came in the middle, he had to find a way into this team alongside Ramos and Nesta.
Clarence Seedorf
Four Champions League titles across three different clubs, and three very different teams, says it all about Clarence Seedorf.
The youth of Ajax, the pressure of Real Madrid, and the star-crowded side of Milan presented their own challenges. A consummate professional, and a wonderful technician, Seedorf could fit into any side and play a number of roles in midfield.
In this side, he’ll be going box-to-box and hoping to contribute a few goals.
Xavi
It was a matter of time until the modern Barcelona featured in this side.
Xavi is one of three in the XI, his place in this side – like with Barca – would be to dictate the tempo and slot in his opponents between the opposition lines.
He wasn’t the most physically gifted, neither strong nor quick. However, he was a wonderful footballer technically and read the game as well as anyone in the Champions League era.
Andres Iniesta
Xavi’s midfield partner for club and country, Andres Iniesta was named in the UEFA Team of the Year on six occasions and lifted the trophy four times.
Iniesta was the more advanced of the two, a playmaker in the final third and a sublime dribbler.
Steven Gerrard was Iniesta’s main rival for the third central midfield spot in this side, but Iniesta’s haul of winners’ medals gave him the edge.
Zinedine Zidane
He might have only won the Champions League once, but Zinedine Zidane is the owner of the greatest goal in Champions League final history. His strike against Bayer Leverkusen will never be beaten.
Zidane was the best player in the world for several seasons, and his Champions League CV could have been a lot more impressive if Real Madrid had been more pragmatic with their team construction.
The link-up between Zidane, Iniesta and Lionel Messi would make for a pretty gorgeous attack.
Lionel Messi
The first name on this team sheet, you’ve got to be pretty good to be handed a free role in an all-time XI.
Even Lionel Messi’s greatest detractors will place him among the top five footballers ever, and many claim he’s the best to have played the beautiful game. One thing is for sure: Messi makes it more beautiful than most.
Barcelona aren’t the force they once were, but while Messi’s there, they’ll remain a football betting favourite in the Champions League.
Cristiano Ronaldo
The competition’s leading goalscorer, with five winners’ medals and second on the all-time appearances list. Cristiano Ronaldo has scored six Champions League hat-tricks since he turned 30. His records are extraordinary, his consistency almost unmatched.
Ronaldo played much of his career out on the wing, but he’s been a striker for the last few seasons and spent a lot of time centrally when he was younger anyway.
Ronaldo will be the number nine for this side, leading the line with plenty of supply for Zidane, Messi and Iniesta.
*Credit for the main photo belongs to Jan Pitman / AP Photo*
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.
After a career spanning two decades Gary O’Neil is not ready to hang up his boots just yet, even at the ripe age of 36. “I still want to play,” he tells us. “I haven’t given up on that dream.”
It’s a dream that began as a 16-year-old at Portsmouth and took in a further eight clubs, experiencing a rollercoaster of promotions and relegations along the way.
Combative on the pitch but likeable and modest to a fault off it O’Neil was a firm fan-favourite wherever he went, an archetypal model pro who always gave everything to the cause. He did so on 490 occasions.
Here the box-to-box midfielder with the happy habit of popping up with a goal or two looks back on his life in the game and the clubs that formed him, starting with a city well and truly on the up but peering down.
Callow Canaries
After proving once again to be a lucky Play-Off Final omen, winning his third consecutive route to the top flight via Wembley, it was Norwich who gave O’Neil a last Premier League fling in 2015.
It is with a heavy reluctance then that he airs serious concerns about the adventurous football on display at Carrow Road at present, an attacking philosophy espoused by Daniel Farke that seems to be getting ruthlessly picked apart each and every week.
Ten matches in Norwich have shipped an average of 2.4 goals. Surely this can’t continue?
“If you are honestly not at the same level as the majority of other teams – which on paper applies to Norwich in the Premier League - then can you be open and expansive? Last year they could do that because they had some of the best players.
"But there comes a point where you have to think twice and accept that an opponent is better and if Norwich play open and expansive more times than not they will come out on the worst end of it.”
“Do they need to throw it all in the bin and be tight and direct and defensive? No, but it’s the manager’s responsibility to the club and to the fans to make sure they’re competitive while still sticking to their beliefs.
"Whether that is finding some tweaks or a halfway house, or changing it in certain games. At the moment it looks to me like they’re sticking to what they want to do rather than adjusting to the situation in front of them."
"It’s somewhere between commendable and naïve and I just fear if it carries on it will get closer to naive.”
If the team’s free-flowing approach to last term is increasingly coming unstuck in the big league the same can be said of its chief architect Emi Buendia.
Those who expected the twinkle-toed Argentine to light up the division with the same clever creativity that bamboozled the Championship have so far been left disappointed and O’Neil has a theory to explain the player’s underwhelming displays.
“I just wonder if Buendia has got the physicality – not size and strength but that extra bit of pace to get away from defenders. Because that’s what it takes now to cause a team problems in the Premier League.”
Hammers No Longer Nailing It
The Beckenham-born midfielder’s two years in East London saw promotion – again through the Play-Offs – before the Hammers re-established their Premier League credentials with a solid mid-table finish.
This year however, with a wealth of brilliant talent at Manuel Pellegrini’s disposal and with Manchester United and Tottenham struggling they were widely tipped as outside contenders to go one better and break into the coveted top six.
It was all going so well too, until a recent run of poor results has sent the Irons sliding down to tenth. For O’Neil this prompts a mild case of deju vu.
“When they have Anderson and Yarmalenko, Lanzini and Haller all on it they look really good going forward. They look so fluid, as if they’ve going to cause teams problems.
"But when they have a spell like this it feels like they’re going back to where they used to be, the team that finishes just behind where you want them to finish.”
“I really hope they do well because they’re a big club and they’re supported through thick and thin.
"The support we got in the Championship was huge and the fans dragged us over the line when we didn’t get to that automatic promotion spot. It was the fans who dragged us through the Play-Offs.”
If Buendia’s drop-off in form mirrors that of his team’s travails the same can be said in the case of Declan Rice’s decidedly ordinary performances of late.
Having been hyped as the ‘next big thing’ and capped by his country Rice has noticeably struggled to match his tremendous performances from last season but if this worries many a Hammer for O’Neil there is a silver lining.
“I just hope he stays at West Ham and it’s probably a blessing for them that he’s hitting a dip in form because when he was on cloud nine people were talking about Man United or as a replacement for Fernandinho at Man City.
On a positive note it means West Ham get to keep him for longer alongside Mark Noble who is an absolute legend. West Ham aren’t going to get relegated and they’re only going to push forward. He is in the England squad. So what a fantastic place to be.”
Patience Needed At Boro
In 2007 a £5m switch to Teeside led to O’Neil becoming one of the first names on the team-sheet for present England boss Gareth Southgate.
But it’s a team-mate of his that is of particular interest with Jonathan Woodgate now residing in the Riverside du-out as Middlesbrough slip perilously down the Championship table.
“I think they need to give him more time. They’ve obviously decided that he is the man for them and even though he’s very young managerial-wise he did have the experience of working under Tony Pulis last year.
"I just think that clubs need to be very careful with always changing. There has obviously been a huge cut in the budget so Jonathan Woodgate is not working with the same budget others had in previous years and with that has come a drop-off in performances and points return.
"I hope that Middlesbrough give Woodgate longer.”
Inexperienced Woodgate may be but according to O’Neil the signs were always there that management beckoned.
“He was a leader in the dressing room and hugely respected. He was a fantastic player who’d had a fantastic career so you were drawn to him and respected that he’d played for Real Madrid.
"You could tell he was going to go on and manage: he was always studying things and talk intelligently about the games coming up. He always had a tactical view on them.”
Pompey And Their Premier Pomp
It was on the south coast where O’Neil first made his reputation as an all-action star, equally adept on the right as he was prowling the centre-circle.
So impressive were his breakthrough years there that he soon found himself captaining the England under 21s but staying with Pompey his seven seasons brought all manner of highs and low, most memorable of which was a combination of the two.
A disastrous campaign in 2005/06 saw Portsmouth written off in early March as relegation certainties.
That was until a miraculous recovery, largely due to a sprinkling of Harry Redknapp magic brought a series of unlikely wins meaning a result at Wigan on the penultimate game of the season would leave them safe.
Two-one up with most of the second half successfully navigated O’Neil takes up the story from here…
“It was an intense final ten minutes but we managed to hold on then we had that spell with Harry and the staff in front of the Pompey away end waiting for the final whistle to go at St Andrews.
"We had a big celebration in the changing room then headed back to Portsmouth and everybody came back to my house.
"It was amazing and when you get to the stage I’m at now, wondering what comes next, those days are just priceless. You’d give anything to have more of those days.”
As unforgettable as that day was for the Fratton Park faithful they were rather hoping for an altogether more straightforward kind of celebration this time out: that of climbing out of League One.
After reaching the Play-Offs last May optimism was high for another run at promotion but instead fluctuating results have left them languishing in the lower half. Is a return to the Championship now out of the question?
“I’m sure Kenny will turn it around because he’s a good manager and he has a good squad.
"I don’t think the position they’re in now in the league is where they will finish but obviously time is of the essence and when the gap between them and the play-offs is getting as big as it is now they need to start clawing back the point difference.”
Bolton On The Brink
It says a lot about Gary O’Neil’s professionalism that at the age of 35 and in his final fling as a top level footballer he won his club’s Player of the Year last season. It says an awful lot more that this was achieved amidst a backdrop of a club in financial meltdown.
As Bolton Wanderers seemed destined to go to the wall their midfielder’s recollections of what it was like at the centre of it all is striking and shocking.
“It was just relentless. You got sick of it in the end. You’d arrive at training and get told there was going to be a meeting and this was three times a week, trying to discover what was going on and whether we would get paid.”
“It was just so hard and when relegation hit some of the lads thought what is the point now? We’re not getting paid. We’re getting hammered every week. It became so difficult for the gaffer.
"Obviously some of the players still wanted to show what they could do but others were just so sick of it. The fans did well to stick with us and they went through it too.
"They weren’t sure if their club was going to make it and you look at Bury up the road and you’re grateful that it turned out like it did.”
*Credit for the main photo belongs to Sang Tan / AP Photo*
