Injuries are the bane of sports people across the world. There is nothing more frustrating for professional athletes than to suffer setbacks due to the breakdown of their bodies.

The ailments can come in all shapes and forms, whether it be a devastating break of a bone or just gradual wear and tear of muscles due to the toll of playing their respective game.

Durability shapes careers. Some athletes are more durable than others. It could be down to genetics or simply a better training routine. Luck is also a major factor as injuries can occur at any time during life even when you’re away from the action.

We’ll now look at some of the players that have been most affected by injuries in high-profile sports.

FOOTBALL

Jack Wilshere’s career is the epitome of what could have been. The midfielder is arguably one of the most talented players at his position to have emerged in England over the last 20 years.

However, he has never managed to play for a meaningful period in the Premier League to reach the peak of his powers. At the age of 27, Wilshere has made only 243 appearances at club level, which is remarkable given that he began his career 11 years ago.

There has not been one injury that has been the source of his problems. Wilshere has endured troublesome ankle issues that have kept him out for weeks at times, although, at other periods, it has been more serious and has required surgeries.

The 2010/11 season remains his most fruitful year where he made 49 appearances. However, it was all downhill from that point, including losing the entirety of his 2011/12 campaign along with the majority of the 2015/16 season.

Those issues have continued at West Ham, where, again, he has spent more time in the treatment room than on the pitch.

Wilshere has been unfortunate but his issues appear to stem from a genetic problem. His ankle and his legs are unable to take the strain of playing football at the highest level.

His career has been derailed by numerous injuries and it does create an interesting parallel between him and his former Arsenal team-mate Aaron Ramsey.

Ramsey suffered a horrific leg break against Stoke in a challenge with Ryan Shawcross just when he was emerging at the Gunners. There were fears at the time that Ramsey’s career could be in jeopardy, much like Abou Diaby's after that tackle from Dan Smith in 2006.

However, Ramsey returned to action 247 days later but it took time for him to find his feet on the pitch, following two loan spells in the Championship.

He has enjoyed an impressive 10-year tenure with the club and will move on to Juventus (4/1 at the time of writing in the online betting to win the Champions League) at the end of the campaign, receiving a lucrative contract.

CRICKET

Simon Jones was an integral part of the England team that regained the Ashes for the first time in 19 years when they defeated Australia in 2005.

The Glamorgan quick broke into the England team in 2002, making his debut against India at Lord’s where he claimed four wickets in a comfortable win for Nasser Hussain’s men.

He did not appear in the rest of the series, although he was named in England’s squad for the Ashes. However, Jones suffered a horrendous knee injury at the Gabba in the opening Test of the series.

The fast bowler caught his knee in the turf when fielding on the boundary, rupturing his anterior cruciate ligament. It was a devastating injury and one that ruled him out of action for almost 18 months in an England shirt.

Jones did make a comeback and found his form in 2004 to help England achieve victories over the West Indies home and away, South Africa on the road along with New Zealand on home soil.

He was in prime form ahead of the Ashes as England’s potent quartet of seam bowlers.

During the four matches, he played a part of, Jones claimed 18 wickets at an outstanding average of 21, including two five-wicket hauls – producing his best figures of 6-53 at Old Trafford.

His injury problems returned as an ankle ailment ruled him out of the final match of the series. It would prove to be the final game of his Test career.

Persistent knee and ankle injuries knocked the paceman back every time he attempted to make a comeback at international level.

His run-up and style of bowling placed huge pressure on his ankles and knees – similar to that of Mark Wood in the current England team (12/5 favourites with betting sites to win the 2019 World Cup).

Jones’ knees and ankle were unable to take the stress of the impact, particularly given the heavy workload of a bowler of his ilk in Test matches. It was a huge blow to England, who missed his presence on the field.

AMERICAN FOOTBALL

Injuries are commonplace in the NFL due to the nature of the game. One of the most intriguing players in recent history has been Rob Gronkowski – both on and off the field.

Gronkowksi has been a dominant force on the field during his nine years in the NFL. The New England Patriots selected him 42nd overall in the 2010 Draft as the other 31 teams appeared to have concerns over Gronkowski’s back injury that had caused him issues during his college football career.

Gronkowski made an immediate impact in his first two seasons with Tom Brady, notching 28 touchdowns on the Patriots’ way to Super Bowl XLVI and often being favourite in live betting markets to be the next scorer.

However, Gronkowski suffered the first of a number of injuries that would plague his NFL career. Bernard Pollard tackled him and landed on his ankle in New England’s win over the Baltimore Ravens in the AFC Championship Game. His ankle sprain limited his impact in the Super Bowl where the Patriots were beaten by the New York Giants.

He returned to full health for the 2012 campaign and was operating at the peak of his powers for 11 matches before suffering a broken arm blocking on an extra-point kick. It ruled him out for four weeks before he exacerbated the problem in the playoffs.

Matters got worse in the off-season with an infection. The injury has remained, as Gronkowski stills wears a protective arm brace till this day, while, in the same off-season, he underwent back surgery.

The tight end was limited in 2013, missing the first seven weeks of the term. Gronkowski was outstanding during his time on the field before he suffered a devastating torn ACL against the Cleveland Browns from a hit by TJ Ward.

The injury was severe and he did look back to his best until midway through the 2014 season.

Gronkowski was influential in the Patriots’ Super Bowl win in 2014, scoring a vital touchdown but missed their triumph in 2016 with an alarming back problem.

Like the iron man, he returned for 2017 and was outstanding in the season and the Super Bowl, although it resulted in a defeat to the Philadelphia Eagles. The 2018 term highlighted the toll NFL has taken on Gronkowski’s body.

The numerous hits are due to his style of play, breaking through challenges and blows. He put forward one of the worst statistical seasons of his career in 2018, although he did make crucial plays in the Patriots’ Super Bowl win over the Los Angeles Rams.

Gronkowski is debating retirement after years of pain through injuries. He was not an injury-prone player but a victim of his own size and strength, which caused bigger hits and a lot of time on the sidelines.

*Odds subject to change - correct at time of writing*

Football is a crazy game, and it is known for throwing out some unexpected results that shock the world. Remember when Leicester City won the Premier League after being seemingly doomed for relegation the previous season?

Or more recently, when Real Madrid and Barcelona both lost on the same night to Sevilla and Leganes respectively in the early stages of the 2018-19 La Liga campaign?

Relegation battles are often the best places to look for fairytale-like stories of teams pulling off great escapes. Here, we take a look at some of the biggest relegation survival stories ever.

Coventry City (1983/84)

A lot of younger football fans might not even know who Coventry City are, as the Ricoh Arena club is currently languishing in the third tier of English football. But for a long time, the Sky Blues were one of the top clubs in the country.

The West Midlands club spent 32 years in the top flight, and were one of the inaugural members of the Premier League. The side had a number of close shaves with relegation during their time in the elite division, but the hairiest of moments was in the 1983-84 campaign.

Bobby Gould’s side needed to win all three of their final games of the season in order to avoid the drop. Norwich City were eight points ahead of Coventry, but the Sky Blues pulled off single goal wins against Stoke City and Luton to put them within inches of survival.

They needed a win against reigning champions Everton in the final game, though, which seemed like it would be an impossible task.

Shockingly, though, goals from Mickey Adams, Terry Gibson, and a double from Cyrille Regis fired Coventry to a 4-1 victory and secured survival in the First Division at the expense of the Canaries. They were a single point ahead of the last relegated side.

Sam Allardyce was a member of the Sky Blues side that pulled off this remarkable feat; he has since become known as Fireman Sam in his managerial career thanks to pulling off similar acts of escapology.

Sunderland (2013/14)

During their time in the Premier League, Sunderland flirted with relegation to the Championship countless times and kept leaving it late to retain top-flight status.

In 2013-14, though, it seemed that the North East side were destined for the drop after a horrific start to the season. The Black Cats lost seven of their first eight games, and drew the other.

This resulted in the sacking of Paolo di Canio, who was later replaced by Gus Poyet in October. When Sunderland lost 5-1 to Tottenham Hotspur in April, they were favourites with bookies to be relegated.

The result, coupled with the fact that Poyet’s charges still had to face top of the table Manchester City along with Manchester United and Chelsea, meant that Sunderland’s chances were extremely slim.

In a major shock, Sunderland managed to draw 2-2 with City at the Etihad Stadium. This result gave the team some newfound belief, and provided a springboard to gain momentum.

They went on to win the last four games against Chelsea, Cardiff City, Manchester United and West Bromwich Albion. After this great escape, Poyet’s side ended the season in 14th place.

This was a remarkable and unexpected turn of events that will live long in the memory of the Stadium of Light club’s supporters.

Eintracht Frankfurt (1998/99)

The 1998-99 Bundesliga followed a familiar pattern at the top of the table, with Bayern Munich dominating the division and eventually winning with a 15-point lead over second-placed Bayern Leverkusen.

Bayern tend to be out-and-out favourites in the football betting to win the league each season, so there were no surprises there. The Bavarians claimed their 15th German top-flight title in that campaign, and had the league sewn up after the 31st round of games.

But while there was fairly standard business occurring at the top of the table, there was an almighty scrap for survival going on at the bottom – making the use of a bet calculator essential for those invested in the relegation markets.

The 1998-99 season is well-remembered for the intense action of the final day of the campaign. Borussia Monchengladbach and VfL Bochum were already relegated before the 34th round of fixtures.

But there were an astonishing five teams who needed a win to avoid joining them in the second tier. All the games kicked off at the same time and at half time, Frankfurt appeared to be the team doomed for the drop.

However, the Eagles managed to turn things around emphatically after the break, and ended up beating 1. FC Kaiserslautern 5-1 to secure a 15th-place finish with 37 points.

This was an impressive win, as the Red Devils were vying for a fourth-place finish. Frankfurt’s survival meant that it was Nurnberg who took the final relegation place after losing 2-1 against SC Freiburg.

Crotone (2016/17)

Since their inception in 1945, Crotone have only ever spent two seasons at the pinnacle of Italian football. The fairly unknown small city on the Italian south coast broke into Serie A for the 2016-17 campaign, and became the talk of the footballing world for a short time.

The Pythagoreans are back fighting in Serie B today, but they will always have the memory of their stunning escape act in their first season in the top flight.

At start of that campaign, the newly appointed manager Davide Nicola vowed that if his team managed to stay up he would cycle 1300 kilometres from Crotone to Turin.

This statement highlighted just how much faith the now-Udinese boss had in his charges at the time.

Everyone knew it was going to take a miracle for the tiny club to cut it against the likes of Juventus, Napoli, and the Milan clubs, and Crotone started the season as the bookies’ favourites to go straight back down.

Indeed, it was certainly looking that way when the south coast side only managed to accrue nine points in the whole of the first half of the season.

After the 29th round of Serie A fixtures that term, Crotone had won three matches and drawn five. Nearly all hope was gone. But remarkably, in a final, epic push to stay in the top flight, the minnows rallied.

They won six of the last nine games, including victories against Inter Milan and Lazio. This superb end of season form meant that Crotone secured 17th place on 34 points and condemned Empoli to relegation.

The manager stayed true to his word as well, and celebrated the victory with the enduring bike ride back to his hometown.

These are just a few of the fairytale football stories to have happened over the years, and the pages of the history books still have room for many more.

The English top flight is one of the best places to look towards for intense and unpredictable relegation scraps, and there have been many stunning acts of escapism in the past.

Indeed, if Neil Warnock’s Cardiff City manage to avoid the drop this time out, people will be talking about it for many years to come, especially after the tragedy they faced in January.

Can the Bluebirds pull themselves out of the mire or will they be back in the Championship next term?

There can be no doubt that, of all sports, F1 is perhaps the most notorious for having teammates as both allies and rivals.

Not one season passes where there isn’t a falling out between two drivers racing for the same constructor, and the problem only escalates when there are two strong drivers on the roster with an equal chance of glory.

Power Struggle Typified By Mid-2010s Mercedes

Perhaps the most notable example of this is the inter-team rivalry between Nico Rosberg and Lewis Hamilton, who both raced for Mercedes in the mid-2010s.

After consecutive title wins for Hamilton in 2014 and 2015, 2016 was Rosberg’s year, but there were many critics who believed that his racing style was a greater reflection of his professional self-interest than a desire to perform for F1 betting outright title favourites Mercedes.

The German’s shock retirement almost immediately after completing his title-winning season seemed to confirm beliefs that he had taken his career with Mercedes as far as it could go.

That is not to say Hamilton, 11/8 in F1 odds to win another world title in 2019, was without sin, and as the designated ‘lead’ driver for Mercedes in his two title-winning seasons, his pit bosses granted him a significant amount of free will, knowing that the combination of his natural driving skill and Mercedes’ peerless machine could not fail.

It is here that inter-team rivalries take on a new form of intrigue.

While Mercedes can still score a certain 1-2 under the right circumstances, forcing the secondary driver to yield will give rival teams – mainly Ferrari and Red Bull – the ability to rack up some constructor points.

There is also a potential knock-on effect further down the constructor rankings, as prize money increasingly speaks volumes.

Previously successful teams like McLaren and Williams have found themselves locked out of the upper echelons in the constructor table in recent years, simply because the place of one crashed Mercedes will invariably be filled by a Ferrari or Red Bull car.

Even when two inter-team rivals have a collision, the lesser teams seldom get a look-in, and the consequences of a double retirement are often consigned to history without much afterthought.

Going further back, other inter-team rivalries such as Nelson Piquet vs Ayrton Senna and James Hunt vs Niki Lauda, prove that this is nothing new.

However, with a more pronounced difference between the points given to first and second-placed drivers, it now seems as though there is little point at all in identifying drivers as teammates.

Perhaps a more fitting term would be ‘two drivers with the same livery and outfit’, and compared to other sports, there appears to be little room for camaraderie off the track.

As to whether or not this is the ideal situation in principle, F1 fans are generally more concerned with the sight of precision engineering being converted into pure speed and sublime takeovers on the track.

While the conventional dynamics of team play seem skewed beyond recognition in F1, some would say that the ridiculous nature of inter-team rivalries is what makes F1 truly watchable in this highly-predictable era of Mercedes v Ferrari.

MotoGP: National Pride Trumps Rivalries

Curiously, this is not so much the case in other forms of motorsport. MotoGP, for instance, only has six different constructors, but with multiple teams allied to each.

Unlike in F1, it is common for two teammates to be of the same nationality, and this often prevents the more negative aspects of inter-team rivalry from surfacing.

Perhaps the standout example is the Repsol Honda team that has a rich history of success, with two Spanish riders atop a brace of Honda RC213V bikes.

Those men are Marc Márquez and Jorge Lorenzo, who share multiple titles won across this decade alone.

Whatever rivalry they may have is tempered somewhat by the common flag under which they race, and with Italy the only other country realistically expected to have a championship contender representing it, the likes of the aforementioned Repsol duo would be loathe to let any of their ‘cross-med’ rivals clinch the title.

NASCAR: Looking Out For Number One

While a team’s standing in MotoGP and F1 directly correlates to how much of an influence it has over the sport, other forms of motorsport place even less emphasis on a constructor (or team) winning the most points.

NASCAR, for instance, is all about the individual, and arguably stands at the opposite end of the spectrum to MotoGP – although that is not to say teammates will never give each other tactical help.

This is mainly due to the dynamic of qualification for the ‘playoff’ phase, whereby simply winning a race guarantees progress to it.

The range of different teams on the track at once far outstrips either of Europe’s two mainstream racing disciplines and, while there could be as many as four or five racers representing the same team on the track, there may be some teams that comprise of just one driver.

In practice, this means there are a significant number of drivers simply looking out for number one in NASCAR, and this enables them to be as disruptive as they like.

In terms of specific drivers having inter-team rivalries, they are restricted mainly to those who race for the teams that have the biggest presence but have not yet established a ‘lead’ driver in the eyes of fans, endorsers and race pundits.

Hendrick Motorsport, for instance, have a seasoned driver in the form of Jimmie Johnson, but there is talk of his ‘torch’ as the team’s lead driver being passed to young Chase Elliott, who has established himself as one of NASCAR’s greatest modern prodigies.

Then there is Joe Gibbs Racing, which essentially became to NASCAR what Mercedes was (and is) in the mid-2010s.

Currently, Denny Hamlin and current cup live betting favourite Kyle Busch are vying to be the top dog of Joe Gibbs, the unofficial mantle of which seems to guarantee some degree of invincibility, as it did for Kyle Busch during his near-flawless summer of 2015.

Away From The Track...

In field sports, inter-team rivalries achieve existence on a much more sporadic and spontaneous basis.

As everyone knows, ‘rivalry’ is far too close to ‘rift’ for comfort, and rifts can destroy teams. For that reason, rivals within sports teams are generally friendly ones, and a very topical example may be found within the PSG camp.

With no other Ligue 1 team coming close to matching the Parisians, all that is left to determine is which of Kylian Mbappe and Neymar Jr will finish up as the club’s player of the year.

A similar situation will also be unfolding at Juventus, Barcelona and – possibly – Bayern Munich, where two different players are competing for personal honours.

Short of outright destroying a team from within, ruining a personal career or the lives of others, there seems to be no right or wrong way to go through the motions of an inter-team rivalry.

They add flavour to proceedings and ultimately ensure that those involved get remembered – for better or worse – far more prominently than those that don’t.

When it comes to visualising passionate fans, there are many enduring images that spring to mind, depending on the sport you follow. So just which fanbases are the most passionate around the world?

Rugby League: State Of Origin

Over in Australia, the biggest inter-regional rugby event of the year is undoubtedly the State of Origin Series.

Resplendent in blue and maroon respectively, the regions of New South Wales and Queensland battle it out on an annual basis to determine which produces the greatest talent.

In a best-of-three series that can offer uncompromising action, the victorious team wins the Origin shield, as well as bragging rights for a whole year. NSW are favourites to triumph in 2019, priced at 4/7 with most betting sites to win the series.

With on-field fights a very common occurrence and no series without some controversial flashpoint, its place in conversation amongst the workplaces of Sydney and Brisbane is sustained year-round.

Ever since they first clashed over 100 years ago, neither region has failed to sell out its allocation, and the fans remain raucous throughout every event.

Such is their passion, there have even been known incidences of people emblazoning their birth certificates in the colour of their state!

NASCAR: Bristol, Tennessee

Motorsport is difficult to imagine as a good generator of hype and passion, but step into any of the traditional ‘Southern’ states in the US and you will see that there is a hard core of NASCAR watchers lusting for blood and destruction on the circuit.

The sight of muscular stock cars going around an endless oval circuit is an acquired taste, but they have license to drive combatively, and this can sometimes create some impressive collisions.

Back in February, the season-opening Daytona 500 in Florida did not disappoint, producing one of the biggest in recent memory. However, one of the most notorious circuits out there can be found in the very heart of NASCAR, at the Bristol circuit in Tennessee.

While the sight of Confederate flags is thankfully a dwindling element, those in attendance never hesitate to break drape themselves in the ‘Old Glory’ while watching an event that defines ‘real’ America.

The sight of trailers in and around the circuit also gives an edgy feel to proceedings. As a short track with tight corners, Bristol’s room for error is non-existent, and anyone found botching an overtake or a shove will soon be found piling headlong into the concrete wall!

NFL: Green Bay Packers

As a sporting state, Wisconsin is often overlooked in favour of more celebrated locales like Michigan, California and New York State.

However, the Green Bay Packers boast an exceptionally passionate fanbase, which has stood by it through thick and thin, yielding the ultimate reward in the form of a Super Bowl win in 2011.

According to some sources, every single game at Lambeau Field since 1960 has been sold out, and with a waiting list of nearly 80,000 for season tickets, it seems as though only the most unwaveringly loyal fans of the Packers can enter the stadium’s hallowed doors.

Another notable aspect of the diehard Packers fans’ loyalty is their ability to brave brutal Wisconsin winters. The area around Lambeau Field can be covered in inches of snow, but that does not stop the Packers’ acolytes from flocking there.

Like any NFL franchise with a hugely passionate fanbase, there are also some unique gimmicks that set the Packers apart. Amongst these is the ‘Lambeau Leap’, which is an iconic touchdown celebration that enables the fans and players to momentarily become one.

NHL: Montreal Canadiens

North of the USCAN border, the Montreal Canadiens (also known as the ‘Habs’) are the most successful NHL franchise in history, with 24 Stanley Cup wins to their name.

Their greatest rivals, the Toronto Maple Leafs, are second in that particular chart by a fair distance – specifically, with a meagre 13.

Although the franchise no longer enjoys such dominance in either the futures or live betting markets, the Habs’ games never fail to sell out, and every voice within the 21,000-capacity Bell Center is heard come match night.

There is also the multi-national nature of the fanbase to account for, with the old-world roots of their predominantly French-Canadian fanbase honoured by a French-language version of the national anthem.

MLB: Boston Red Sox

With notable fan groups in Scandinavia and the Oceanic countries as well as the UK, it seems as though the sun never sets on the Red Sox empire.

There can be no doubt that Fenway Park is on the bucket list of many a baseball fan based away from the States, and the franchise’s fans have much to do with this.

Despite suffering heartbreaks on several occasions throughout the latter half of the 20th century, as rivals New York Yankees enjoyed a bevvy of riches, the Red Sox fans’ loyalty has never wavered.

With the Red Sox currently joint-favourites to win the 2019 World Series in the sports betting, it seems as though their persistence is likely to be rewarded in the near future.

Every Sox fan knows the words to Neil Diamond’s classic ‘Sweet Caroline’, as it always makes an appearance for the eighth inning, and nor can any of them ever forget the first time they saw the ‘green monster’.

Far from being an entity of envy during times of heartbreak, it is a high wall behind the central plate that provides a lofty standpoint from which to chant, sing and make the most of the park’s great acoustics.

Football: The Global Language

As the only truly international sport, we are spoilt for choice when it comes to identifying the most passionate fanbases worldwide. In the interests of neutrality, it is safe to say that any English club’s fans can have their day.

That said, the Premier League’s other ‘big’ clubs also have a truly worldwide fanbase, with south-east Asia being a particularly impressive hotbed of hero-worshipping Premier League followers.

Within Europe, title-chasing Borussia Dortmund are fast becoming one of the most fashionable clubs to follow. Like most traditional English stadiums, the Westfalenstadion has a home end that has an impressive record when it comes to displays of passion.

A ‘yellow wall’ behind the goal gives the spectators behind it an eery, disembodied type of presence, and this too can give the currently title-chasing Dortmund a real psychological edge.

The ground’s acoustics also seem to amplify the power of the home crowd, and when rivals Bayern Munich or Schalke 04 are in town, an unforgettable day is assured.

Further afield, ‘Ultras’ groups have a mixed reputation, but for better or worse, it can’t be denied that they add a talking point in football culture, and they are now starting to catch on in the MLS.

Meanwhile, since becoming the first Algerian club to win the African Cup of Champions Clubs back in 1976, MC Alger has gained a steady growth of ultra-loyal fans, and now boasts a joint-high of four separate Ultras groups in the Algerian top flight.

The newest of these is the Group Verde et Rouge, which has a raucous and fast-growing presence at the July 5, 1962 Stadium.

Despite this, they co-exist well enough with local rivals USM Alger, and even as far out as a week before derby day, the city comes to a standstill.

Bragging rights mean everything in a city still adapting to life after French rule, and with football being the only hope of a better life for many citizens, following their club is more than a mere pastime.

So many of the things that Mario Balotelli will be remembered for are the product of terrible timing, whether receiving reckless red cards or breaking into prison.

Yet his decision to reveal a t-shirt bearing the slogan ‘Why Always Me?’ after scoring in a Manchester derby was perfectly timed, given Balotelli had attracted attention for setting his house on fire with some indoor fireworks the night before.

City triumphed 6-1 at Old Trafford to deliver United’s worst Premier League defeat, with Balotelli thankfully scoring the first two to ensure he didn’t have the t-shirt made for nothing.

Rafael Nadal’s habit of biting every trophy he has won is straightforward to execute, although the act of winning the trophy in the first place is significantly more difficult.

Nadal gains points for the sheer weirdness of the sight of a tennis great chomping down on a trophy; given his glittering career, Nadal clearly has a taste for it - especially at the French Open.

Running around in a manic manner while screaming ‘gol, gol, gol’ is something that most wannabe footballers will have done in a casual kickabout, but Marco Tardelli took things to the next level by turning up the passion to eleven. That he did it after scoring in the World Cup Final does his legacy no harm.

When Phil Brown chose to conduct a team talk on the pitch with his Hull side 4-0 down at half-time, the footballing world was stunned.

There was similar shock when Hull returned to Manchester City’s ground, with Jimmy Bullard’s goal prompting a well-organised recreation of that event. Points awarded for comedy and logistics, but points deducted for it essentially being a celebration of Hull being mediocre at football.

Rather than letting Gangnam Style fade away into obscurity, Chris Gayle decided to adopt it when celebrating West Indies’ remarkable victory at the World Twenty20 tournament.

While his conviction and natural flair pull the dance off, Gayle will primarily be remembered as one of cricket’s great entertainers because of his shot-making.

Usain Bolt’s iconic ‘lightning bolt’ pose is easily replicated; it’s so easily replicated, in fact, that Bolt admits he stole it from a Jamaican Tourist Board poster.

While the ‘lightning bolt’ narrative works nicely given his name, the celebration is known as ‘To Di World’ in Jamaica as homage to a dancehall movement. Still, when you’ve broken world records for both 100m and 200m, you can celebrate however you want.

The US Masters is just around the corner, with the four-day event attracting fans from all over the world. This will be the 83rd edition of the Masters, providing golfers with a chance to prove themselves at the highest level.

So, what is the Masters all about? Who is worth backing? Who are the long-shot punts of the tournament, and who is leading the market?

US Masters: History

The first-ever Masters began on 22 March 1934, and it has always been played in Augusta, Georgia, at the Augusta National Golf Club. It is the only one of the four major golf tournaments that doesn't change between venues.

The Masters was started by an amateur champion called Bobby Jones and investment banker Clifford Roberts.

There are a number of traditions within the Masters. Since 1949, a green jacket is awarded to the champion, although it has to be returned to the clubhouse the following year. The champion from the year before also does the presentation, putting the jacket on the new winner.

The Champions Dinner is also another tradition, which first began in 1952. It is held the Tuesday before the tournament every year.

Before the tournament gets underway, legendary golfers, often past winners, hit an honorary tee shot on the morning of the first round to commence play.

Patrick Reed is the current champion; the US golfer finished 15 under, winning by one stroke last year.

US Masters: Famous Wins

In 2013, Adam Scott defeated 2009 champion Angel Cabrera with a winning putt on the second hole of a playoff.

Nine months prior, Adam Scott practically handed the Open to Ernie Els after closing with four bogeys at Royal Lytham & St Annes, but Scott was able to right his wrongs and claim the prestigious prize.

In 2016, Danny Willett became the first Englishman since Faldo to win the US Masters, closing out with a bogey-free round of 67 to steal it away from Jordan Spieth.

The American closed out the front nine on the final day with four birdies, but the back nine was nothing short of a disaster for him. He hit two bogeys in a row, followed by two water shots.

Sheffield’s very own Willett sensed his opportunity, going on to hit three birdies on his last six holes, becoming the first Englishman to win the green jacket in 20 years.

In 2017, it was finally Sergio Garcia’s long-overdue time to win a major. He showed some nerves when bogeying the tenth and 11th hole, but a birdie at 14 and an exceptional eagle at 15 saw him back in touch of Justin Rose.

A birdie in the play-off saw the world of golf rejoice that Garcia was finally able to break his duck and be crowned the champion of Augusta.

US Masters 2019: Who To Follow

Jordan Spieth had a pretty disappointing 2018 campaign. However, despite having not won since the Open Championship in 2017, he always performs admirably at Augusta.

In three out of the last four years, Spieth has finished in front at the end of the first round. Last year, if it wasn’t for a poor performance on the Saturday, he would have been right in the mix at the end.

An incredible Sunday performance saw him finish third, only two shots behind eventual winner, Patrick Reed. On three different occasions at Augusta, Spieth has traded at odds-on, and if he can hold his nerve this time around, he looks the man to side with.

His course form figures read 2-1-2-11-3, so a return to Augusta could spark him back to form.

Brooks Koepka is a great in-form golfer that is well worth following at this year’s Augusta. In 2016, he finished 21st, improving to 11th in 2017.

Koepka has won three major championships, two of which were last year, and as a result, his power play can certainly put him in contention for the green jacket this time around.

Jon Rahm is a amongst our golf betting tips for the Masters, as he is a golfer who came on leaps and bounds from his 2017 position, finishing in fourth place last year.

His form over the last three months has been one of the best heading into the Masters, and his aggressive play on a course that suits that exact style could well see him finish in the top three this time around.

A win would see him become the fourth Spaniard to wear the prestigious green jacket.

US Masters 2019: Outside Chances

An outside bet that could be worth following is Billy Horschel. His form heading to Augusta is nothing to shout about, but he ranks very highly for GIR and Par 5 Performance.

He finished 17th in 2016, but will hope to utilise his experience to potentially break into a place spot. 

Matt Kuchar has done everything apart from win a major, which might explain why he is 40/1. Despite being in his early forties, he is one of the most consistent golfers around.

It is also worth noting that Kuchar has finished in the top eight on four occasions, making him a great each-way bet at such huge odds.

This season, the American has won the Sony Open and Mayakoba Classic titles as well as challenging until the final holes when fourth at the Phoenix. His main strength appears to be in a head-to-head format rather than converting at the end of stroke-play tournaments.

A powerful, aggressive approach can often be key to success in the Masters, and Thomas Pieters certainly fits that description.

He was top scorer at the 2016 Ryder Cup as well as finishing second on his debut Riviera. That particular course form correlates with Augusta, and at odds of 100/1, he looks great value to place at the very least.

US Masters 2019: Market Leaders

Currently, it is Dustin Johnson and Rory McIlroy who lead the market, both priced at 10/1 in the golf betting. Behind them, Justin Rose and Tiger Woods share 12/1, and beyond that, Brooks Koepka, Jon Rahm and Justin Thomas complete the top seven at 14/1.

Last year's winner, Patrick Reed, is 40/1 in the Masters golf betting to make it back-to-back wins at Augusta, and previous winner Sergio Garcia is also an outside punt at 50/1 to wear the green jacket once again.

The US Masters can often conjure up an upset, and it is often a spectacle not to be missed. This year should be no different, and with plenty of golfers arriving in form, it is set to be one of the most anticipated Masters in recent years.

*Odds subject to change - correct at time of writing*

The NCAA Tournament is one of the most watched and followed American sporting events, with 100 million viewers in the United States and many more abroad.

As such, it is also one of the most heavily wagered-on events in American sport, with an estimated $10 billion bet on the tournament each year.

With all of the heart-pounding excitement, including upsets, buzzer-beaters, and slam dunks, it's no surprise that March Madness attracts so much attention.

And thanks to these teams and players, the 2019 tournament should be just as exciting as the top-ranked schools look to avoid joining our list of memorable upsets.

Most Successful Schools

The NCAA Tournament has seen many great teams claim the top prize in college basketball, with many schools winning the tournament multiple times since its inception.

But of all of the schools to have repeat success in March, no program can match the UCLA Bruins. Thanks in large part to legendary head coach John Wooden, the Bruins have scored a jaw-dropping 11 national championships, including 10 titles from 1964 to 1975.

The Bruins are unlikely to appear in this year's tournament, giving the teams behind them a chance to catch up. Not too far behind the Bruins are the Kentucky Wildcats, who have racked up eight national championships in school history.

Their success dates back to 1948 when they won their first championship. North Carolina has picked up six titles to place third, with Duke and Indiana rounding out the top-five with five tournament titles apiece.

NCAA 2019: Tournament Favourites

The majority of the favourites in the 2019 NCAA Tournament are the usual suspects, with many blue-blood programs leading the list of contenders.

But there are some relative newcomers favoured to win the tournament who will look to break tradition and make some history of their own:

Duke

No team is more heavily favoured to win the 2019 NCAA Tournament than Duke, as they enter the tournament at 5/2 odds to win.

A testament to Duke's strength is that they are the favourites to win the title despite the injury woes of Zion Williamson, who is likely to play in the tournament, although nobody knows how effective he will be.

Gonzaga

Gonzaga are second-favourites to win March Madness at 11/2 odds before their semi-final game in the West Coast Conference Tournament.

They lost back-to-back games to Tennessee and North Carolina earlier this season, but haven't lost another game this year, averaging almost 90 points per game.

With player of the year candidate Rui Hachimura leading the charge with over 20 points per game, the Zags are strong candidates to get to another Final Four.

Virginia

Virginia are third-favourites to win the title at 6/1 in terms of NCAA and NBA odds. But the real story with Virginia is whether or not they can find redemption for their poor performance in last year's tournament.

They were victim to the only 16-seed upset over a one-seed in the history of the tournament last year when they were blown out by UMBC.

Virginia still have one of the best defences in the country, though, and how sharp they come out to start this year's tournament will be one of the stories to watch.

NCAA 2019: Players To Watch

Outside of Hachimura and Williamson, mentioned previously, there are some key players worth taking a look at heading into the tournament.

With the star-making potential that this tournament has, these players can move themselves up in future NBA Drafts or just be the X-factor that helps lift a team to the national championship.

Ja Morant (Murray State)

The Murray State Racers have never had a player as good as Ja Morant, who carried them through the Ohio Valley Conference tournament.

His 36-point performance against top-seeded Belmont justified Morant's status as one a projected top-three pick in the 2019 draft.

In the NCAA Tournament, Morant will be one of the biggest star attractions in the field as he will likely be matched up with at least one team from a power conference before his team is eliminated.

How he does during this tournament will likely be used to project his viability as a pro even more.

Markus Howard (Marquette)

Marquette have had an up and down season in 2019, but there would have been a lot more down than up if not for the efforts of Markus Howard.

Howard is a top-10 scorer in college basketball this season, putting up 25 points per game through the regular season. He's put up multiple 40-plus point games, which he might need to do again if Marquette is going to win games in the big dance.

Howard is to this year's tournament what Trae Young was for Oklahoma last year, in that it will be interesting to see if he can carry an otherwise uninspiring team to at least the second weekend of the tourney.

Tacko Fall (UCF)

Big men usually don't get all of the attention in the NCAA Tournament, as the spotlight is usually reserved for the guards.

But when you are as big as Central Florida's Tacko Fall, you might just be able to block out the spotlight, along with some shots from opposing players. Fall is 7'6" and leads the nation in field goal percentage with about 75% of his shots going in during the year.

If he can protect the paint and get easy looks at the basket, the Knights may be able to turn some heads after flying under the radar for most of the season.

NCAA: Memorable Upsets

This tournament is remembered for the upsets, with teams having a chance to become a part of tournament history if they can knock off a higher-seeded team.

These upsets in particular were the most memorable in that teams who were given virtually no chance to advance managed to do what seemed impossible.

UMBC vs Virginia (2018)

The UMBC Retrievers were a surprise entrant in the 2018 NCAA Tournament when they beat Vermont to win the America East Tournament.

But the Retrievers weren't just happy to be there, as they put a historic beating on the Cavaliers to become the first 16-seed to beat a one-seed in 136 tries.

UMBC played like it had nothing to lose, playing fast-paced to counter the methodical style of Virginia. To say that it worked for them would be an understatement despite the basketball betting odds not being in their favour.

Lehigh vs Duke (2012)

Duke are one of the traditional powers of college basketball, and they were supposed to hammer 15-seed Lehigh out of the Patriot League in the first round in 2012, according to the basketball betting tips.

But that wasn't the case when the Mountain Hawks held on for the duration against Duke. Led by future NBA star CJ McCollum, Lehigh scored a whopping 47 points in the second half to come from behind and win.

George Mason vs UConn (2006)

Normally, first round upsets are what get all of the attention in the NCAA Tournament. But George Mason's upset of UConn in the Elite Eight was one of the best late-round upsets that the tournament has ever seen.

The Patriots beat a Huskies team that boasted several NBA draftees, including Rudy Gay, who had a long and productive professional career.

*Odds subject to change - correct at time of writing*

The E.B.F. Mares’ ‘National Hunt’ Novices’ Hurdle Series culminates in a final which is run over two miles and about four and a half furlongs at Newbury on Saturday, March 23rd, 2019.

Qualification for the final requires horses to have finished in the first six in an E.B.F. Mares’ ‘National Hunt’ Novices’ or a Maiden Hurdle Race Series Qualifier during the current season.

Many decent mares have progressed through the training ranks after featuring in this final, none more recently than Roksana who won the OLBG Mares’ Hurdle (Registered As The David Nicholson Mares' Hurdle) at the recent Cheltenham Festival.

Trends & Statistics:

• Age – 11/12 winners were aged 5 or 6.
• Price – 5/12 favourites/joint favourites have won, 8/12 winners were in the top 3 in the horse racing betting.
• Rating – 10/12 winners were rated 120 or higher.
• Last Run – 6 of the last 12 winners won on their last run before the Mares Novice Hurdle Finale
• Previous Course Form – 4/12 winners had at least 1 previous run at Newbury, 0/12 winners had at least 1 previous win at Newbury.
• Season Form – 11/12 winners had at least 3 runs that season, 12/12 winners had at least 1 win that season.

Runner-By-Runner Guide:

Annie Mc (Jonjo O'Neill)

Won by an impressive 18 lengths at Chepstow in January but failed to produce anything like that in her following race at Exeter, where she went off the 11/8 favourite.

Owned by the Coral Champions Club, the mare will have to put her last race to bed quickly to figure here.

Our Dot's Baby (Jeremy Scott)

Winner of two of her five career starts already and a winner at Newbury last time out.

She is definitely a horse in good form at the moment, but at the age of seven does not fit the usual age profile- unless she does a Briery Queen (2016).

The White Mouse (Lucy Wadham)

Winner of a three runner affair at Doncaster at the start of March beating Oscar Rose by a comfortable 4 lengths.

Her trainer enjoyed a rich vein of form in February but the winners have dried up a little bit in the last couple of weeks. Has to be respected.

A Little Chaos (Stuart Edmunds)

Started the season off slowly before the penny finally dropped and she won her last two races. Has scope for improvement and may well get overlooked in the betting.

Outofthisworld (Harry Fry)

So this mare could potentially be Noel Fehily’s last big race winner right?

Noel hangs up his boots at the end of proceedings on Saturday after riding this two-time winning mare to victory. Who writes these fairytale endings?

Oscar Rose (Fergal O'Brien)

Forever the bridesmaid but never the bride since her win at Wincanton back in October. She is certainly one of the most experienced mares in the field but may just come up short again. One for the forecast backers.

Off The Hook (Nick Alexander)

A rare venture down south for this trainer which is highly significant point in itself.

Off The Hook was last seen in January when winning a seventeen runner National Hunt Maiden at Ayr and has not been placed out of the top three in her last seven starts. Daughter, Lucy Alexander takes the ride.

Millarville (Oliver Sherwood)

Finished third to The Cull Bank at Fontwell and the latter franked that form again this week. Owned by the Million In Mind Partnership who have tasted successes at Newbury before.

She Mite Bite (Nicky Henderson)

Six-year-old mare out of Scorpion who has made a decent enough impact in her fledgling career thus far.

Held every chance when she was brought down last time and there is no reason why she shouldn’t bounce back. Hails from a stable you simply cannot ignore.

Maebh (Seamus Mullins)

I was lucky enough to see this mare win on her second start at Wetherby and have followed her fortunes ever since.

She finished last season being highly tried at Aintree in the Grade 2 Mares’ NH Flat race where she finished down the field, but so did quality horse like Posh Trish.

Never competitive over 3 miles at Doncaster last time but will appreciate the drop back in trip. Holds a big priced each-way chance.

Sweet Verdare (Victor Dartnall)

Victor Dartnall told Paul Webber that this mare was the best he had ever trained when she dead-heated with Webber’s runner, so make of that what you may.

Knocking on the door on her last two runs, she has to be given some consideration.

Etamine Du Cochet (Harry Skelton)

Trainer is doubly represented this year and will hoping for a repeat of last year’s success.

Looks a little bit too short in the betting given that one or two of these have already finished in front of her this season.

Bee Crossing (Michael Scudamore)

Changed stables over the summer and has not been seen since finishing in fifth place at Kelso in December. Looks up against it in this company.

Meep Meep (Tom Lacey)

Finished a close fourth in the Aintree NH Flat race mentioned earlier and has run with credit against some useful types this season.

Can be forgiven her last performance in desperate ground at Haydock and her trainer knows how to ready one for the big occasion.

Sixty's Belle (Alan King)

Ran with promise behind Loveherandleaveher at Huntingdon last time and is entitled to come on for that run. Favourably weighted and could run a big race.

So Lonely (Dan Skelton)

Trainer/jockey combined last year to take this race which gives punters an element of hope. Six times a runner-up in eleven starts is the big worry however.

Conclusion:

Mares’ Hurdles are difficult at the best of times but a Mares’ Final is one hell of a conundrum, but we all love a challenge!

Maebh gets my main each-way vote based on the reasons stipulated above, while Meep Meep will also be joining her on my betting slip as a second each-way alternative.

888sport suggests: Maebh and Meep Meep (e/w).

All four Premier League clubs have made it into the Champions League quarter finals for the first time since 2008.

Chelsea and Arsenal progressed in the Europa League on Thursday to make it six English clubs in the European quarter finals for the second time ever and the first since 1970/71.

Only La Liga, in 2015/16, has ever had six teams in the quarter finals of the two European competitions, though that was with three in the Europa League.

The 2007/08 campaign saw an all-English Champions League final. Manchester United were runners-up in 2009 and 2011 and Chelsea won the competition (albeit as underdogs) in 2012.

No English team made the quarters in 2012/13. Only two made the last eight in 2013/14, with Chelsea the only English representative in the semis. They were knocked out convincingly by Atletico Madrid.

The 2014/15 season was the same as 2012/13 as Chelsea, Manchester City and Arsenal were knocked out in the last 16.

City were the only English club in the last eight in 2015/16 and made it all the way to the last eight. A 1-0 aggregate defeat to eventual winners Real Madrid ended their dreams.

Only one Premier League side featured in the quarters the following season too. This time it was Leicester City, who were edged out by Atletico Madrid.

That brings us to last season, perhaps the renaissance of the Premier League in Europe’s top competition.

Manchester City and Liverpool faced each other in a remarkable quarter final bout with Liverpool going all the way to the final before losing a dramatic match to Real Madrid.

Of course, only so much can be read into a knockout competition. Fortune plays a huge part; from the way the balls are picked, through refereeing decisions, badly timed injuries and the general fine margins that can decide knockout ties.

Picking the last eight as an arbitrary cut off for judging the ‘strength’ of a league is questionable. In this case, though, it is an indication of the Premier League’s best learning on and off the field.

And yes, it has been aided by a bit of luck, from Manchester United’s Parisian comeback to City facing Schalke in the last 16.

Coaching is at its best level in nearly a decade. Jurgen Klopp, Pep Guardiola and Mauricio Pochettino are three of the best in the world. Maurizio Sarri and Unai Emery are very good, even if their reputations are slightly inferior to the aforementioned trio.

Manchester United’s situation is a bit different. Ole Gunner Solskjaer is a long way from Guardiola or Klopp, but United have almost unmatched spending power.

Despite Jose Mourinho’s crude expectation management, they belong at Europe’s top table and have a squad that reflects that.

Wealth has been crucial. The television deal puts Premier League clubs at a significant advantage over their European competitors. United and City have benefited most clearly, but all of the top six and beyond can outbid the vast majority of European teams.

Simply being the richest isn’t enough, however. We’ve seen a lot of terrible spending from the Premier League’s ‘finest’.

Having immense spending power is only a benefit if it is used properly and clubs have started to recruit better, even if it’s still often inefficient and far from perfect.

Liverpool’s recruitment has rebuilt them from upper-mid-table sleeping giant to one of Europe’s scariest opponents. The Virgil van Dijk and Naby Keita figures get the attention, but it’s the foundations they built that transformed the club.

Mohamed Salah, Roberto Firmino and Sadio Mane arrived as individuals with good reputations. Underrated, perhaps, when they signed, they have formed a fearsome triumvirate.

Some credit goes to Klopp, some goes to the players, but plenty must go to the people who identified them as both attainable and suitable targets.

The amount spent at City means the success of their signings is easier to overlook. Guardiola has constructed the best squad in the world with players that fit exactly how he wants to play.

The squad is going to be very good with the hundreds of millions City have spent. Making it fit the style you want to play with depth at every position is a different task.

Tottenham’s spending, or lack of, has been a point of mockery. Pochettino’s mastery has brought more out of the squad than was reasonable to expect.

The recruitment, though, has still been good, avoiding the crippling big contracts and ludicrous fees that can hurt a club with their revenue.

United, Chelsea and Arsenal have made their fair share of mistakes. Amongst that, there are smart buys, like Diogo Dalot, Matteo Guendouzi and Antonio Rudiger.

Arsenal and Chelsea are in a period of transition, and they have as yet avoided the slump towards mid-table that others suffered in similar circumstances.

Sarri and Emery are keeping their teams competitive on the European stage. Chelsea (aided by a favourable draw) are Europa League favourites at 7/4. Arsenal, despite facing Napoli in the quarters, are third-favourites for the competition at 17/4.

888sport offers 7/10 on an English club to win the Champions League.

The role of fortune cannot be underestimated in six teams making European quarter finals this season.

Atletico and Juventus were drawn together in the last 16, Real Madrid fell to Ajax and Manchester United needed the rub of the green to see off PSG.

Bayern Munich are not the force they have been for most of this decade. Tottenham faced Borussia Dortmund as they hit a difficult run of form.

Four teams in the last eight does not guarantee the Premier League will dominate for decades. In the same way, having no teams in the quarters was not confirmation the league was terrible.

It is a reflection of improvement rather than a statement of dominance. Luck and riches play their role, but this season’s European progress is just reward for clubs being run well on and off the pitch.

*Odds subject to change - correct at time of writing*