Birmingham are in the top half of the table whilst Millwall are languishing just outside the relegation zone.
The Blues have a seven-point advantage over their opponents going into Wednesday’s game and victory will cement Birmingham’s top half status.
Only two Championship clubs have conceded more league goals than Millwall in 2018/19.
With that in mind, opting for Birmingham to score could be the way to go.
11/5 for Blues to notch over 1.5 goals at The Den may turn out to be a huge price if the likes of Che Adams and Lukas Jutkiewicz continue their fine form.
The Blues duo have combined for 16 goals in Birmingham’s last 10 league games and both men will be looking to score on Wednesday night.
Adams and Jutkiewicz are priced at 27/10 to get their names on the scoresheet against Millwall.
Birmingham have struggled in this fixture in recent times, failing to score in their last three matches against the Lions.
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.
On October 13, 2018, following the penultimate race at Hockenheim, Mick Schumacher was crowned F3 (Formula Three) Champion and in doing so, qualified for an FIA F1 Super Licence.
Should the German take up the option of competing at the sport's elite level, he will be the third member of his family, behind father Michael and uncle Ralf, to take his place on the Formula One grid.
Mick is not the first motorsport driver to follow in his father's footsteps.
Current F1 driver Max Verstappen is the son of former Formula One driver Jos and former World Champions Nico Rosberg and Damon Hill both had F1 championship-winning fathers. In fact, there have more than a dozen F1 father and son pairings.
They are part of a long line of father and son duos who have excelled in their respective sports. Here are just of a few examples of the most successful pairings.
Peter and Kasper Schmeichel
Former professional footballer Peter Schmeichel is considered one of the greatest goalkeepers of all time.
After beginning his career in his home country of Denmark, where he won four league titles (including the revamped Superliga) and a Danish Cup with Brondby, he made the £505,000 switch to Manchester United.
At international level, Schmeichel made 129 appearances for his country and was a crucial part of the team that lifted the 1992 European Championships.
Son Kasper followed in his father’s footsteps, joining Manchester City as a goalkeeper at the age of 16.
A series of loan spells followed before he signed for Notts County (2009) and then Leeds United (2010). During this period, Schmeichel had a reputation for being a solid but unremarkable keeper.
The turning point in his career came when he was sold to Leicester City in 2011. He has remained with the club ever since winning the Football League Championship in 2013/14 and the Premier League in 2015/16.
The Foxes' top-flight title triumph under Italian boss Claudio Ranieri is widely considered one of the biggest upsets in sporting history.
Archie and Peyton Manning
While some sons can never hope to eclipse their father’s achievements, others exceed them with aplomb.
One such example is Peyton Manning, whose father Archie was a respected American football player who represented New Orleans Saints during the 1970s and 80s.
The Saints were not a great side and Archie never made the playoffs, but he fathered three sons, two of whom also made it to the NFL.
While second son Eli deserves credit for his own achievements, which included two Super Bowl wins, two Superbowl MVPs and several other individual awards, it was Peyton who rose to become one of the greatest quarterbacks of all time.
His list of NFL achievements, racked up during spells with Indianapolis Colts (1998–2011) and Denver Broncos (2012–2015), is remarkable.
Like his brother, he also won two Super Bowls, but that barely tells the story of a career that saw him pick up more than 50 awards and honours.
And, he still holds the record for most passing yards in a season (5,477), most passing touchdowns in a career (539), most passing touchdowns in a season (55) and most touchdown passes in a game (tied on 7).
Joe “Jellybean” Bryant played professional basketball between 1975 and 1992. He spent eight years as an NBA player representing Philadelphia 76ers, San Diego Clippers and Houston Rockets.
He then spent seven seasons in Italy where he played for AMG Sebastiani Rieti (1984–86), Viola Reggio Calabria (1986–87), Pistoia (1987–89) and Reggio Emilia (1989–91). He took his first coaching position in 1993 and has been coaching ever since.
Son Kobe became a household name thanks to his five championship wins earned over a 20-year career with the LA Lakers.
Bryant is a two-time NBA finals MVP, 18-time NBA All-Star, 15-time All-NBA team member, and 12-time member of the All-Defensive team. He is also a double Olympic gold medallist.
After spending much of his youth in Italy where his father played professionally for seven years, Bryant Jnr learned to speak fluent Italian and grew up supporting AC Milan. However, he spent much of his time in the US playing basketball in the summer leagues.
Bryant has appeared on the cover of several video games and has even released his own music singles. His endorsements and wages have made him one of the richest sportsmen of all time.
Forbes estimated his career earnings to be in the region of $770m making him the second-highest NBA earner behind Michael Jordan and the sixth-highest-earning sportsman in history.
Ken Norton Sr. and Ken Norton Jr.
Father and son sports pairings do not always follow the same path. In the case of the Norton family, Ken Norton Sr. made his name in boxing while Ken Jr.’s sport of choice was American football.
Boxer Ken Norton turned professional in 1967 and went on to compete in 50 fights winning 42. He is best remembered for his three fights with Muhammad Ali, of which he won the first but lost the next two.
When Leon Spinks ignored the WBC’s order allow Norton to contend his world title, choosing instead to fight Ali, the governing body retroactively gave title fight status to Norton's win over Jimmy Young the year before.
He lost his world title a year later after a 15-round slugfest against Larry Holmes ranked as one of the greatest heavyweight fights of all time. Following his retirement in 1981, Norton was inducted into the boxing hall of fame and turned his hand to acting.
Norton’s son Ken may have shared his father’s name, but he did not share his enthusiasm for boxing. Instead, he found fame in the NFL after being drafted by the Dallas Cowboys in 1988.
The linebacker won two Super Bowls during his five years in Texas and another following his move to the San Francisco 49ers in 1994. He remained at the Californian team until 2000.
Following his retirement, he became a radio and television commentator and started coaching at High School level. He has since worked as a linebacker coach and defensive coordinator for Seattle Seahawks, Oakland Raiders and San Francisco 49ers.
*Odds subject to change - correct at time of writing*
Winter breaks in football have become the norm over the last two decades. Across Germany, Spain and other leading European nations, a rest period after the festive season is common.
Given the popularity and potential benefits of these breaks, the English Football Association (FA) has announced that it will fall in line with its European counterparts.
Under the terms agreed, the winter break will come into effect during the 2019/2020 football season and take place between January and February.
To ensure the flow of football action doesn’t completely dry up as one month transitions into another, there will be two breaks spread over a two-week period. During the first break, ten teams will sit out from competitive competitions.
During the second break, the remaining ten teams will have a rest. In commenting on the new policy, the FA called it a “significant moment that will greatly benefit club and country”.
However, are breaks in football a good thing? Despite being common practice in Europe, there are arguments for and against pressing the pause button midway through a season.
Are Players Playing TOO Many Games?
According to a Fifpro survey, 90% of players in Europe are in favour of a mid-season break.
Taking into account the views of 543 players from the leading clubs in Spain, Germany, Italy, England and elsewhere in Europe, Fifpro found that almost 50% believe there are “too many” games.
The Premier League is an obvious example of this. If you look through the match list inside our football betting hub and the diary is jam-packed.
Naturally, this creates thousands of weekly betting opportunities. However, for those doing the work, it’s bound to be taxing on the mind and body.
Of course, there will be some that will argue that footballers are athletes that are compensated more than fairly for their time but there’s no doubt the accumulation of games can have an impact on performances.
Indeed, when you look at the effect of winter breaks in European football, there is evidence to suggest that players benefit from having even just a week away from competitive matches.
For example, if you look at Bayern Munich’s results for the 2017/2018, you’ll see that the team enjoyed its best winning streak in the weeks following Germany’s winter break.
Bundesliga Break Pays Dividends
As per the Bundesliga’s rules, teams are rested between December 20 and January 12. Tracking the results for Bayern, the club went on a six-game winning run from January 12, 2018, scoring 18 goals before being held to a 0-0 draw by Hertha Berlin on February 24.
Taking this analysis a step further, Bayern went into their round of 16 first leg against Besiktas and cruised to a 5-0 victory. Although a skill discrepancy was certainly a factor in the result, the 25-day break almost certainly gave the German side an extra advantage.
Indeed, when you contrast this with how English teams performed in the same round, it was more of a mixed bag.
Although Manchester City and Liverpool were impressive, Manchester United and Tottenham could only muster draws against Sevilla and Juventus respectively.
Could a certain amount of fatigue have been the reason two of England’s top teams weren’t able to beat what could be considered lesser opposition?
Obviously, there are many more factors at play here. However, there’s an argument that Premier League players are simply more tired than their European counterparts. In fact, Champions League statistics would seem to back up this assumption.
English Clubs Falter Against Well-Rested Europeans
Jose Mourinho said that the lack of a break was hurting English clubs in the prestigious tournament and the stats seem to support his opinion
Yes, Manchester City were among the betting favourites at the end of October. However, with Barcelona, Juventus and Bayern all getting a break over the festive period, staying top of the rankings is never a guarantee.
Beyond the betting lines, English clubs have only won the Champions League trophy 12 times since 1955. What’s more, in the last ten years, there have only been two English winners.
For comparison, Real Madrid have won the trophy 13 times on their own (as of the 2017/2018 season). In fact, when you search back through previous opinions on the competition, it's often Real Madrid that get the vote of confidence from tipsters.
Given the weight of evidence, it would seem that a break is not only essential for the health of players but the performances of the top teams. However, there are some that believe more matches isn’t necessarily a bad thing.
Writing for The Mirror back in 2016, former pro Robbie Savage said that a lack of discipline was the reason for many players' failure to perform under pressure.
Answering fan tweets, the Welshman said that he was “ashamed” of players that didn’t have the “desire to stay properly fit”.
When challenged by a reader who suggested scientists have shown too much stress can have an adverse effect on performance, Savage said “science never hit a shot in the top corner or won the Champions League”.
Breaks Can Take Players Out Of Their Zone
While his second point was somewhat facetious, the does have a point. A player that’s truly hungry for success would rather have the elation of scoring the winner than a week on the sidelines.
During a Ted Talk, psychologist Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi described an idea that’s long been prominent in sport: being in the zone. Describing it as a “flow” state, Csikszentmihalyi said that people in the zone experience heightened focus and blissful immersion.
To put it another way, athletes in the zone are in a groove. Through a combination of endless repetitions and focus, athletes can make moves almost automatically. Footballers are no different, which is why a break could be a problem for some.
Even though it’s only a short period of time, any time out of the zone can have a negative impact.
Think about the performance of a player when they return from their post-season break. As well as fitness being an issue, their timing and awareness can also be off.
Although the post-season break is a lot longer, any time away will have some sort of effect. Therefore, for the ultra-competitive players, a week off isn’t desirable. In fact, it’s during high-pressure moments that the very best shine.
As everyone else is starting to tire and fall apart, the top players find an extra level. With that being the case, the game’s elite may argue that a break would hurt their chances of success as it would give lesser clubs time to regroup and recover.
Of course, the proof will be in the pudding when English clubs have their first winter break during the 2019/2020 season.
*Odds subject to change - correct at time of writing*
In 2003, the England and Wales Cricket Board unveiled the Twenty20 competition that would revolutionise the game. At the time, there were doubts as to whether the format would be a success and whether it would devalue the sports as a whole.
However, the tournament was a smash hit with the public as spectators flocked to cricket grounds across England, while viewing figures on television were also boosted, as players on the field used their ingenuity to take aspects of the game to a new level.
Fifteen years later, it’s hard to imagine a time without the format. Players are now signing specialist deals to play only in the T20 competitions, while strokeplay used in the shorter game is working its way into the Test match arena.
Jos Buttler, among others, is bringing excitement and imagination to the red-ball game, highlighting the effect of T20 and the way younger players are now approaching their cricket.
Unfortunately for the ECB, they have not been the organisation to benefit commercially from their own invention.
The Indian Premier League has dominated the schedule in T20 with the biggest names in the game drawn to the competition by the lucrative nature of the contacts on offer.
Due to the quality on display, its global audience attracts more fanfare than the Vitality Blast and the Big Bash in Australia. The timing of the Blast makes it extremely difficult for England’s stars to feature in the competition due to their international commitments.
The Three Lions often attract top-tier teams for their summer schedule - therefore, players from leading nations such as Australia, India and South Africa are also unlikely to participate.
The trend put the ECB in a bind in their bid to compete with the IPL and the Big Bash. As a result, the organisation made a bold decision to develop another format.
The Hundred was unveiled to bring a format of English cricket in line with the IPL, with a franchise mode of eight cities rather than the 18 counties that play out the Blast.
It is a gamble from English cricket’s governing body, but their last one paid off and there’s no reason to pour scorn on the format before it has even been properly developed.
How Will It Work?
The 18 teams of the English county game voted in favour of a city-based competition to rival the IPL and the Big Bash.
After a year of deliberation, eight cities were put forward to host the franchises: Manchester, Leeds, Birmingham, Nottingham, Cardiff, Southampton and London (The Oval and Lord’s).
Several worthy teams missed out on selection, leaving areas of the country without the opportunity to watch the events live unless they’re willing to travel significant distances.
There will be a total of 32 games before the playoffs, with each team playing four matches both home and away before the post-season begins where the top four teams will battle it out for the crown.
One of the major debates has been how the deliveries will be executed. In the traditional forms of the game, overs last for six balls before ending.
It was believed that the Hundred would follow a similar pattern, with the same system being deployed until the 90th delivery where, from there, ten deliveries could be bowled to end the innings.
Testing
However, in the trial matches, deliveries were bowled in blocks of ten rather than six apiece, with each bowler being allowed to send down a maximum of 20 balls, either in blocks of five or ten rather than the traditional means.
The powerplay, which in T20 is utilised in the opening six overs, lasts for 20 balls in the Hundred, while one of the other new rules for the English game at least includes timeouts that can be deployed by the coaching staff or captain.
Substitutions are also in line for the competition, allowing bowlers to be withdrawn for specialist fielders.
The players themselves will be selected via a draft as seen in the IPL, with only three overseas players allowed per squad of 15 members.
The success or failure of the competition will hinge on whether the England players are readily available whether they are on Test, ODI or T20 duty.
The plan is to play the tournament in the middle of the summer, where England have a hectic schedule. On the surface, the regulations at least appear a new interesting twist, but whether it works on the field remains to be seen.
WILL It Work?
The ECB have taken a gamble with the decision to implement a new format of the game. It has brought a fair share of criticism from well-respected voices in the sport.
The turmoil regarding the manner of how the deliveries will be bowled did not help matters, but given that the inaugural competition will not be played until 2020, the ECB have ample time to decide the best option.
Criticism always comes with new ideas and some of the condemnation has been overblown. The T20 competition has been popular across the country but has lacked the commercial pull needed to take the tournament to the next level.
Whatever concept the ECB may have come up with for their own version of the IPL would always seem inferior to the main product. By developing their own brand, it entices a potential new audience to the game, using Sky Sports and the BBC to broadcast matches.
The additional features of the proposed format may bring new viewers and spectators to grounds, while the limited matches will make demand for tickets high. Success or failure will depend on attracting the best players in the world.
The IPL works so well due to the talent of the players on the field. All of India’s stars play a vital role in their respective franchises and the same has to happen for England, with the sprinkling of the best superstars in the world added for effect.
The game itself will not faze the players as Samit Patel, playing in one of the trial matches claimed: "It was pretty good actually, it was different to what I was expecting. We're playing 20 balls less but there's not really much difference, to be honest.”
That endorsement from an experienced player is encouraging for the ECB, although the true test of their gamble will only be reflected by the punters watching on television and entering stadiums.
It would have been a great source of frustration that they were unable to capitalise on the huge success of T20 as their rivals did, but the Hundred may be the breakthrough the sport needs to continue to adapt and grow.
*Odds subject to change - correct at time of writing*
There are golf courses in the world that are truly bucket-list material. Think St Andrews, Valderrama or Pebble Beach.
But there are also some golf courses that are just truly unique, one-of-a-kind experiences you’ll be talking about for years. What is it about these unconventional but amazing golf courses that make them special?
Where To Find Golf's Crazy Courses
Tecina (Spain)
Located on the little island of La Gomera just off the coast of Tenerife in the Canary Islands, this golf course will require you to take a buggy almost 800 meters up the side of the hill just to reach the first tee.
After that, course designer Donald Steel’s vision includes the world’s first slalom-inspired golf layout where it’s downhill all the way to the bottom of the mountain.
The course returns you to the small, colonial-style clubhouse complete with a tin roof where the members relax, cold beer in hand, watching the sunset over the Atlantic or the impressive sight of Mount Teide, Europe’s highest active volcano.
Palmetto Hall Plantation (USA)
Don’t adjust your screens, this course really is the first geometrically designed golf course.
It comes complete with square and quadrilateral greens, bunkers, fairways and water hazards. It was originally designed on a computer, possibly using the Amiga golf game Leader Board as its inspiration.
North Berwick (Scotland)
Not even Pete Dye makes golf courses like this anymore. Found on an unlikely thin strip of coastal land beside the town of North Berwick this course is a wonderful opportunity to experience golf how it was meant to be played.
There are greens hiding behind walls, par 4s where a 7-iron off the tee is the only choice, drives over the beach, deep ripples in fairways that can throw your drive out of bounds and even a green with a gorge splitting the middle.
Quirky might be used to describe it, but it remains a quintessential Scottish links.
Old Head (Ireland)
When a strange piece of headland in County Cork came up for sale perched atop a cliff with only a lighthouse and some wild sheep to call it home, one man envisioned something unique.
Imagine an Irish version of Pebble Beach with 80-mile-per-hour winds as standard where every hole has a view to savour.
Nullarbor Links (Australia)
Get ready to pack a bag - this round might take you some time to complete because at over 850 miles long, this is probably (it is) the longest golf course in the world.
It stretches from Western Australia to South Australia along the Nullarbor Plain. Nullarbor means ‘no-trees’ but you’ll not find much of anything in this very barren part of Australia.
If you find slow play to be a problem, it’s unlikely you will find the course marshall around to hurry you up, as there are 30 miles between holes.
If you get too tired, you can always stop off at one of the many restaurants or guest houses along the route.
Skukuza (South Africa)
Have you ever needed to avoid a pack of baboons and roaming hippos whilst playing your approach shot - without being at the local jungle-themed crazy golf? Well in the middle of Kruger National Park, you’ll probably have to do exactly that.
There are no fences keeping apart the animals from the golfers, so if you find your Titleist Pro V1 in the lake by the 5th green, you should know it is also the home of crocodiles and it’s best to quickly head for the drop zone.
Just make sure there aren’t any stalking leopards, galloping giraffe or startled elephants heading your way.
Streamsong (USA)
When you think of Florida golf, you might picture palm trees, villas lining each hole and a resort atmosphere that makes you feel like every hole is a holiday. You’d be wrong in this case.
Streamsong is a course that was built on an old phosphate mine, which means that, over time, the slag-heaps have softened and long marram grasses have taken over, making this course look and feel like something closer to Scotland than tropical Florida.
Horses For Courses Factor In Golf Betting
Sometimes ‘strange’ and unusual courses are selected to host a major championship and they just work, like the US military base that became Whistling Straits. But, there are others which didn’t and can affect your golf betting strategy.
The wide open, barren course of Chambers Bay was a featureless spectacle, and the choice of the utterly forgettable tree-lined Sahalee for the 1998 PGA Championship was another, where spectators jostled for the few viewing areas because tree foliage obscured nearly every fairway and green.
However, there are major golf courses which exhibit more subtle characteristics that some players find irresistible. Tom Watson had a particular fancy for Scottish links golf, winning five Open Championships between 1975 and 1983.
Ernie Els loved playing at Wentworth, winning seven World Match Play titles, buying a house on the property and then being commissioned to make the major changes needed to modernise it.
Tiger had his favourites too and he’d likely keep returning to a successful venue time and time again. He won at Torrey Pines on eight occasions, at Bay Hill eight times and returned to Firestone for eight wins too.
If Torrey Pines is Tiger’s favourite course (due to host the US Open in 2021), then it is also one of Jason Day’s favourites too.
He’s won there twice and always seems to prefer the West Coast events over the Florida Swing, which is certainly something to consider when looking at players to back.
Augusta National must also be Jordan Spieth’s. In the five times he’s played The Masters he’s gone T2-1-T2-T11-3 which isn’t really surprising considering he’s regarded as one of the best putters in the world, and these are the finest greens in the world.
Even the one time he finished outside the top ten, he was comfortably leading the tournament going into the back nine. One thing is for sure, his 2015 Green Jacket won't be his last.
So, next time you find yourself on a course surrounded by sand dunes or giant greens, or even greens made of sand, consider what kind of player would do well and channel their key attributes. This may be one you’ll be telling your friends about for years to come.
*Odds subject to change - correct at time of writing*
The Champions League returns to our screens this week for matchday five.
This could be the final meaningful match of the competition for some sides, while it is a crucial opportunity for others to cement their place in the last 16.
Juventus were stunned by Manchester United last time out in the Champions League.
The Italian champions are still in control of the group on nine points, though, and they can secure a last 16 berth with victory over Valencia in Turin. The Old Lady cruised to a 2-0 away win against the same opponents on matchday one.
Valencia need a win to keep their hopes of progression in their own hands ahead of their clash with Manchester United on matchday six.
They have scored four goals in the group, but they all came against Young Boys on matchdays three and four. Dropping into the Europa League is the most likely outcome for the Spanish club.
PREDICTED SCORE: Juventus 2-0 Valencia (Priced at 23/4 with 888sport)
Lyon vs MANCHESTER CITY
Lyon shocked the footballing world with their matchday one win at the Etihad Stadium. The Ligue 1 side are second in the group despite drawing their following three matches in the competition.
Form domestically has been solid, but this is a massive test with Hoffenheim sitting just three points behind them.
Manchester City recovered from that blip in the way everyone expected. They have dominated in the Champions League since, which featured nine goals and none conceded over two matches against Shakhtar Donetsk.
The Premier League champions have failed to win two of their matches since 1st September – they look unstoppable right now.
Lyon took advantage of a slightly sub-par start to the campaign from City. Pep Guardiola’s side are now in full flow, though, and are good value to cruise to another win.
TIP: Over 2.5 Man City goals @ 26/25
PREDICTED SCORE: Lyon 1-4 Man City (Priced at 13/1 with 888sport)
MANCHESTER UNITED vs Young Boys
Manchester United’s dramatic win over Juventus seems a distant memory in the Jose Mourinho soap opera. Further criticism of his players last week was followed by a dismal display at home to Crystal Palace.
A win here paired with Valencia failing to win would book their place in the last 16 of the Champions League, which Mourinho desperately needs as he further falls off the pace domestically.
Young Boys are set to drop out of Europe altogether unless they win their two remaining matches.
The Swiss side were thoroughly outclassed in the reverse fixture and will not hold out much hope of picking up anything even against a dysfunctional Manchester United.
PREDICTED SCORE: Man United 3-1 Young Boys (Priced at 19/2 with 888sport)
ROMA vs Real Madrid
Real Madrid head to Rome after a humiliating 3-0 defeat to Eibar at the weekend. The permanent appointment of Santiago Solari has not drastically changed the fortunes of the European champions, though they should make it into the last 16.
Roma fell 3-0 at the Bernabeu, but have performed superbly since then, including an impressive win away to CSKA Moscow last time out.
Their domestic form has been indifferent at best – they lost 1-0 to lowly Udinese at the weekend – but victory here would put them into the last 16 with a great chance of topping the group.
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.
It is do or die time for some of Europe’s biggest clubs in the race to qualify for the 2018/19 Champions League knockout stages.
The likes of Tottenham Hotspur, Manchester United and Liverpool are yet to secure their place in the last-16 of Europe’s elite club competition.
Two of those clubs, Spurs and Liverpool, are in action on Wednesday night.
Tottenham, our top Champions League tip for matchday five, will be full of confidence after their convincing victory over Chelsea while Liverpool could flourish in Paris if Neymar and Kylian Mbappe are ruled out.
The visitors may have to settle for a Europa League berth and keeping this one respectable is an absolute must. The fight for third spot could go down to goal difference…
Club Brugge kept their slender hopes alive with a win at Monaco last time out but this is a much tougher contest on paper. 23/25 for the visitors to be level or ahead at the break is worth considering.
I fancy goals in this one. The over 2.5 mark is well priced at 12/25 – the selection has landed in 12 of Dortmund’s last 14 games in all competitions.
TIP: Over 2.5 goals @ 12/25
PREDICTED SCORE: Dortmund 3-0 Club Brugge (Priced at 7/1 with 888sport)
FC PORTO vs SCHALKE 04
Barring a minor miracle, Porto will feature in the Champions League knockout stages for the fourth time in the last six years. Without a doubt, Porto have been the most successful Super Liga club in recent times…
The 4/5 available for a home victory offers solid value and punters will be tempted to back Porto here. The hosts have won 11 of their previous 12 matches in all competitions.
Schalke have been hit and miss so far this season; the Bundesliga outfit have won their last three matches on soil but are winless in their last five away fixtures.
These sides played out a 1-1 draw in Germany and another tight affair is expected. 5/2 for Schalke to grab a draw is worth considering, it is difficult to split these teams on paper.
PREDICTED SCORE: Porto 1-1 Schalke (Priced at 11/2 with 888sport)
Paris Saint-Germain vs LIVERPOOL
A lot will hinge on the fitness of Neymar and Kylian Mbappe. If both players are good to go, Paris Saint-Germain will start as red hot favourites to claim three points.
Victory for the hosts (23/20) will put all of the pressure on Liverpool ahead of their final group game against Napoli. Assuming the Italian side beat Red Star Belgrade, Jurgen Klopp’s men would need three points in that fixture at Anfield.
Liverpool needed to be patient last weekend but the Reds ran out 3-0 winners at Watford – no easy feat this season. Klopp’s side will be quietly confident ahead of the trip to Paris.
Defensively, Liverpool are much stronger these days and they will be determined to keep PSG at bay. Under 1.5 home goals represents solid value at 11/10 from a Liverpool point of view.
Neymar and Mbappe probably be 100% and that is enough to swing this one in Liverpool’s favour. 8/11 for the visitors to avoid defeat is too good to turn down.
TIP: Liverpool to win OR draw @ 8/11
PREDICTED SCORE: PSG 1-1 Liverpool (Priced at 13/2 with 888sport)
TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR vs Inter Milan
Spurs were simply sublime against Chelsea on Saturday night and the Wembley faithful will be expecting more of the same from Mauricio Pochettino’s men in this contest.
A win for the Premier League side will see Tottenham draw level on points with Inter ahead of matchday six. 4/6 for Spurs to score two or more is an excellent price.
Inter have been solid enough in this year’s competition but the Serie A giants may struggle to keep tabs on Spurs at Wembley. Backing against the hosts would be foolish to say the least…
On paper, Inter have the tools needed to cause problems for Spurs. Over 2.5 match goals is priced at 5/6 with 888sport ahead of Wednesday’s big match.
For me though, Tottenham should have enough to take the group down to the wire. 10/13 is a solid price given how ruthless they were against Chelsea.
TIP: Spurs to win @ 10/13
PREDICTED SCORE: Tottenham 2-0 Inter (Priced at 13/2 with 888sport)
*Odds subject to change - correct at time of writing*
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.
Established in 2005, the Betfair Chase has continually attracted some of the best chasers in the land and this year is no exception, even if it is a small but select field.
The Betfair Chase forms the first leg of the £1m Jockey Club sponsored Triple Crown, which is awarded to any horse that can win the Betfair Chase at Haydock Park, the King George VI Chase at Kempton Park on Boxing Day and the Cheltenham Gold Cup at The Festival next March.
Over the course of 13 years, the Betfair Chase has produced a highly esteemed roll of honour.
The people’s favourite Kauto Star won the race four times (2006, 2007, 2009, and 2011) with his last win lifting the roof off the Haydock stands. A statue was even erected in his honour at the track.
The Colin Tizzard-trained Cue Card almost pulled off the hat-trick of wins required to land the Triple Crown bonus but he fell when holding every chance in the Gold Cup. He managed to win the Betfair Chase a total of three times in his glittering career.
As well as saddling Kauto Star to win this race on more than one occasion, Paul Nicholls also trained Silviniaco Conti to win the highly coveted Lancashire Chase (registered name) twice.
Just five runners go to post on Saturday, but what a line-up it is:
Might Bite
The Nicky Henderson-trained nine-year-old is proving to be a very popular choice amongst punters due to the drying conditions being totally in his favour and with many of his rivals having several questions to face on the surface.
Track conditions and the sharper nature of the Haydock track all appear to be on his side this weekend and it will make a refreshing change to see the race run on decent ground at Haydock, which hasn’t been the case in recent years.
Might Bite encountered only one defeat last season when he was outgunned by Native River in the Gold Cup after an enthralling duel. Less than a month later he travelled with aplomb as he routed the field in the Betway Bowl and Aintree.
If he runs anywhere near that kind of level here he will be a tough but to crack under his regular pilot Nico De Boinville.
Native River
Native River has no problem with quicker ground, indeed five of his 11 wins have come on going described as good or good-to-soft.
His front-running style means that he often beats his rivals into submission but it is very unlikely he will get all his own way at the head of the field on this occasion.
Owned by Brocade Racing and trained by Colin Tizzard, the nine-year-old has won five of his last six chases, namely the Hennessy, Coral Welsh National, Denman Chase (twice) and the Gold Cup.
His only defeat in the last two seasons was a third-place finish behind Sizing John at in the 2017 renewal of the Gold Cup.
Bristol De Mai needs no introduction as far as this race goes and his demolition of the field 12 months ago is still a statisticians dream to this day.
Even though every form student knows that the ground completely fell into his lap that day, he is certainly no one-trick pony and nobody can deny that his Haydock form is impeccable.
Twiston-Davies’ galloping grey is three from three at the venue. His first win at the track was in a Grade two novices’ chase, the second was in the Peter Marsh Handicap and the third was his runaway 57-length win in last season’s Betfair Chase.
Injury has ruled Thistlecrack out of the last two Cheltenham Festivals and he has not been seen on a racecourse since his fourth-placed effort in the King George on Boxing Day last year.
The ten-year-old was head and shoulders above the opposition as a staying hurdler and his transition to fences had the fan boys and fan girls gaping in awe at his jumping prowess.
Unfortunately all that came to a juddering halt but it would be completely folly to rule a Lazarus style return on another big stage.
He won a graduation chase on this very card last year before finishing runner-up to Guitar Pete in the Caspian Caviar Gold Cup at Cheltenham when trying to give away 21lb to the winner.
The gelding, who is part owned by Sir Alec Ferguson, returned to action four months later finishing a keeping-on third behind Might Bite and Bristol De Mai in the Betway Bowl at Aintree.
888sport suggests: Clan Des Obeaux (e/w).
*Odds subject to change - correct at time of writing*
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 a few of England’s biggest clubs playing on Saturday afternoon, punters may not have looked at Sunday and Monday in too much detail. However, there are still three tasty games for 888sport customers to get stuck into.
Let’s get down to the Premier League best bets this weekend, starting with Bournemouth at home against Arsenal. The Cherries headline my Sunday and Monday 9/2 treble…
AFC BOURNEMOUTH vs Arsenal
Bournemouth have lost one of their last nine matches on home soil and the Cherries will be difficult to beat. Eddie Howe will have his troops fired up and ready to go to war on Sunday afternoon.
Arsenal’s unbeaten run goes on but the Gunners have drawn four of their last five games in all competitions. Unai Emery’s men may find it hard to keep tabs on this fluid Bournemouth side…
The north London outfit will be quietly confident of emerging victorious but 49/50 is short. Stick with Bournemouth to avoid defeat in front of an expectant home crowd.
TIP: Bournemouth to win OR draw @ 17/20
PREDICTED SCORE: Bournemouth 2-1 Arsenal (Priced at 10/1 with 888sport)
WOLVERHAMPTON WANDERERS vs Huddersfield Town
Wolves have won just one of their last five Premier League outings but the Molineux faithful will be expecting big things this weekend. On paper, this is definitely a very winnable game for the hosts…
The newly promoted side are currently mid-table after a hit and miss start to the campaign but 10/13 for Wolves to score two or more goals on Sunday afternoon is well worth taking.
Still second bottom of the table, Huddersfield have failed to inspire confidence in 2018/19. David Wagner’s side were somewhat unlucky to draw with West Ham last time out though after dominating for most of the game.
Punters backing the visitors may be tempted by the 7/4 for Huddersfield to avoid defeat this weekend. A positive result for Wagner’s men could be huge for momentum in the relegation battle.
TIP: Over 1.5 Wolves goals @ 10/13
PREDICTED SCORE: Wolves 2-0 Huddersfield (Priced at 24/5 with 888sport)
BURNLEY vs NEWCASTLE UNITED
The Premier League schedulers have left the best until last. Okay, not really but Burnley and Newcastle fans will both fancy their chances ahead of what is a tough match to call.
Burnley were solid at Turf Moor last season but the Clarets have struggled for the most part in 2018/19. 7/4 for Sean Dyche’s side to claim three points is worth a second look.
Meanwhile, Newcastle secured back-to-back wins for the first time this campaign prior to the international break. The Magpies will be quietly confident of notching a third successive triumph here.
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.
Birmingham City assistant manager and former Premier League striker James Beattie takes on Blues defender Harlee Dean in the Penalty Roulette challenge.
Will Southampton great Beattie prove he’s still got it or will he be outdone by rugged defender Dean, as the pair battle it out from 12 yards with rabonas, panekas and more!
We’ll be bringing you exclusive Birmingham City video content throughout the season, so stay tuned!
