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FRIDAY

Friday is the hugely popular Countryside Day. Add in the competitive races, the season’s first Glenfarclas Cross Country Steeplechase over a unique course combining hedges, banks and timber rails and you have a great card which is normally enjoyed by in excess of 20,000 people.

 

SATURDAY

As the Jump season begins to heat up, The November Meeting takes centre stage. Day Two of the biggest Jump racing fixture before Christmas features the BetVictor Gold Cup (formerly the Mackeson Gold Cup).

The feature race of The November Meeting always draws a large, high-class field and was won last year by the popular Splash Of Ginge and Tom Bellamy for Nigel Twiston-Davies.

Thistlecrack heads the weights on 11st 12lb for the £160,000 BetVictor Gold Cup at Cheltenham.

Thistlecrack is on the comeback trail, having only raced three times since his memorable victory as a novice in the 2016 King George VI Chase at Kempton Park. He was last seen out when fourth in the same race last season.

Joint-favourites are Mister Whitaker and Rather Be, who finished first and second in the Listed Close Brothers Novices’ Handicap Chase over course and distance at The Festival™ last March.

Mister Whitaker has an official rating of 152 following his two and a half-length victory over Happy Diva in the Listed Colin Parker Memorial Chase at Carlisle on November 4.

Second-season chasers have a good record in the BetVictor Gold Cup, a handicap chase over two and a half miles, and another who fits those criteria is Kalondra, trained by Neil Mulholland.

The seven-year-old won two of his five starts over fences last season, including a decisive course success in the Ryman Novices’ Chase over two miles and five furlongs at The International in December, and ended the campaign back at Cheltenham with a good third in the Barchester Healthcare Silver Trophy Limited Handicap Chase at The April Meeting.

Kalondra fell on his reappearance this term when travelling well in a conditions chase at the Galway Festival in August, and has not raced since.

Mulholland’s other BetVictor Gold Cup entry, eight-year-old Shantou Village is a two-time winner at Cheltenham and ran at The Showcase on his latest start last month, weakening to finish sixth when one of the market leaders for the ‘Matchbook Betting Exchange’ Handicap Chase over three miles and a furlong.

That performance came on the back of a respectable fifth behind Snow Falcon in the three-mile Kerry National Handicap Chase at Listowel, Ireland, in September.

West Sussex trainer Gary Moore also has two BetVictor Gold Cup contenders in Benatar and Baron Alc. Benatar finished third behind Shattered Love in this year’s JLT Novices’ Chase at The Festival™, while Baron Alco was just touched off by Charbel in a handicap chase at Chepstow on October 14.

The recent Monet’s Garden Old Roan Chase victor Frodon, with 11st 8lb, has the most weight of the nine Paul Nicholls-trained entries.

Others to note for the Ditcheat handler include Romain De Senam and the J P McManus-owned trio of Le Prezien, Modus, successful at The Showcase, and Movewiththetimes.

Last year’s BetVictor Gold Cup hero Splash Of Ginge has been allotted 10st 2lb. He could bid to become the seventh dual winner of the prestigious race.

His trainer Nigel Twiston-Davies, has sent out four winners of the BetVictor Gold Cup, more than any other current handler, and is also responsible for Crievehill, Ballybolley, and Ballyandy.

Other contenders include Aso, who finished third behind Un De Sceaux in last year’s Ryanair Chase at The Festival™, plus French imports King’s Socks and Full Glass.

 

SUNDAY

This is the only Sunday where racing takes place at Cheltenham Racecourse throughout the year and the afternoon is lit up by the ultra-competitive Greatwood Hurdle followed by the Sky Bet Supreme Trial Novices’ Hurdle; both hurdle races are almost always won by rising National Hunt stars.

Verdana Blue, who produced a sparkling display to land the Elite Hurdle at Wincanton last Saturday, was slashed into being the new 8/1 favourite for next Sunday’s Greatwood Hurdle. The Nicky Henderson-trained mare was also quoted at 25/1 for the Champion Hurdle at the Festival in March.

Multiple graded winner Old Guard has top weight of 11st 12lb for the £100,000 Grade Three race. Old Guard (Paul Nicholls) won this race as a four-year-old in 2014 and is among 56 entries for the two-mile contest

The previous ante-post favourite If The Caps Fits (Harry Fry), has been handed 11st 7lb. The six-year-old won his first three starts over hurdles and recently finished second to Verdana Blue in the Elite Hurdle.

The pick of the seven Irish-trained entries, the JP McManus-owned Off You Go, has been given 11st 7lb after completing a three-timer at Galway on October 27.

The glory of sports betting is that no-one is entirely certain of how the game at hand will finish.

Sure, there’ll be a favoured side or player, but as it’s humans against humans, or sometimes animals, there’s always a chance that even the most-favoured side could crumble at the hands of a far-out underdog.

Despite this fact of sports betting, bookies still give away free bets, and experts still give their sure bet tips.

Whether it’s free or professional betting tips, or just some newly available free betting, we’re going to examine what are often deemed to be the best bets, as well as the people who have developed a way of finding sure bets.

 

How To Keep Free Bets Free

The most common free bets in circulation are the welcome offers from many online bookmakers.

Outside of these, bettors can often be rewarded with free bets for placing a certain value of wagers through a set period of time or betting a certain amount on a specific event.

However, some bookmakers lock the potential free offer winnings behind wagering requirements or only deliver the winnings in the form of more free bets. 

So, the majority of free bets do have an initial cost in the form of a real-money bet to trigger them. If this real-money wager wins, the reward is free.

But, if that initial bet loses, the reward is no longer an entirely free bet, with the resulting betting coming at that cost. But, when the offer value amounts to more than the initial outlay, many can still reason that much of the wagering is free.

If you manage to win from a free bet, the best tip that you can follow is to withdraw at least the amount that you initially paid in to get the offer. So, if you pay £10 to get £30 of free bets and one of those wins £15, withdraw £10 to break even or more to make a profit.

Then, anything bet and won from the offer winnings is effectively further zero-cost money to use, with the more that you withdraw each time adding to the profit made.

 

Do 'Sure Bets' Exist?

For something to truly be classed as a sure bet, the outcome has to be a 100 per cent certainty.

So, if this were to exist, bookies likely wouldn’t offer odds on the outcome as there wouldn’t be any point in doing so. However, that doesn’t mean that certain outcomes aren't much more likely to happen than others within each sport.

For example, by way of ice hockey betting tips, 19 players averaged over one point per game, including Connor McDavid, Claude Giroux, and Nikita Kucherov, who all scored 100 points or more through 82 games.

So, with these players showing the quality to average over a point per game, some of the best bets in ice hockey become these players to score a point in each game.

But, despite his huge outlay of 108 points in 82 games, McDavid still went without a point in 24 games, showing that even the biggest point scorer isn’t necessarily a surety in each game.

Even with the Canadian wunderkind in their lines, Edmonton are at long odds of 7/1 to win the Pacific Division, behind the 13/5 San Jose Sharks.

A similar case can be seen when examining horse racing betting tips. It’s quite a regular occurrence for punters to bet on the favourite or the horse that has come in significantly in the odds, but it’s somewhat abnormal for a favourite to win.

It was found that over five years of racing, only 32.3 per cent of flat races were won by the favourite while jump races saw 35.5 per cent of their favourites come in first.

This apparent lack of the favourite winning races has led to a slew of horse racing betting tips that back horses that aren’t favoured by the bookies.

As followers of the jump season know, just because Tiger Roll is favoured right now at 20/1 to win the 2019 Grand National, that doesn't count out Bellshill at 25/1 or even Ucello Conti at 33/1.

With so many other best bet suggestions, such as with football betting tips, tennis betting tips, cricket betting tips, and motorsport betting tips, there is always a chance that the favourites will not come out on top.

On the flip side, when professional or free betting tips reveal something in the statistics which imply an edge, that edge may not always be enough.

Looking again at horse racing, there are many variables to consider which influence a horse and the upcoming race but just because the statistics imply that all is in favour of that particular horse, it doesn’t mean that it will win.

Everything looks to be going right for Stradivarius to win the Ascot Gold Cup next year, with odds of 5/2, but a horse like Kew Gardens at 6/1 could usurp them if the conditions suit them better.

But, as sure bets are known to be somewhat of a myth, it is in these statistics and factoids that bettors find reasons to back a certain horse, and these can easily be found without the help of the suggestions of tipsters.

 

Do Free/Paid For Professional Tips Work?

One would assume that professional betting tips have a greater chance of coming through compared to free betting tips.

But, while those deemed to be professionals likely have a lot of experience in the field of betting and the sport at hand, they have just as much of a chance of losing out to a surprising result as the makers of free tips.

However, some free betting tipsters on social media aren’t working to help their fellow bettors or to perhaps display their knowledge of the betting world for advancement or placement in the profession.

Instead, they get people to bet via their Facebook and Twitter accounts and make an earning when the punter loses. So, there can be some misdirection to be careful of when using free services from unknown sources.

Professional betting tips can often be locked behind a monthly paywall or subscription email chain, but sometimes the worlds of professional and free betting tips cross over as a part of an online bookmaker’s service.

Because the online gambling industry is so competitive, bookies provide a blog section to help their bettors get all of the information that they need before placing a bet.

This way, punters can make use of the tips, or they can utilise key information to establish their own method of finding their favourite in the match.

But, of course, some bettors become so successful that they can offer some professional betting tips to those who wish to pay.

 

Professional Bettors Have Their Own Systems

One of the most famous professional sports bettors in the UK is Tony Bloom, chairman of Brighton & Hove Albion, who are at 9/1 to get relegated this season.

Due to his affiliation with the club, his football betting tips do not include anything to do with the Seagulls, but his betting consultancy, Starlizard, has proven to be rather successful.

Using Bloom’s complex statistical models, Starlizard creates its own odds, which are then sold to clients as betting advice slips.

But, in recent times, Starlizard has been forced to look for finer margins as online bookmakers have honed in on their statistical models to offer odds that far better reflect the outlook of the game at hand.

Another famed professional bettor is Dirk Paulsen, who manages to sustain himself and his family on his football betting.

He claims that gut feelings are always ignored when it comes to making his football betting tips and that all he does is follow his own created statistics, which even include a team’s luck factor.

Both of these professional gamblers established systems, statistical models, and methods of analysis to apply to their sports betting.

While these people have dedicated a lot of time to establishing their systems and then tweaking them so that they can stay ahead in the world of betting, they will rarely reveal their secrets for finding the best bets, so it’s down to punters to sign up for their programmes or come up with their own systems.

 

So Are There 'Best Bets' Lurking Around?

Whether it’s the likelihood of an event occurring or the size of the returns available in the odds, there will always be options that are retrospectively seen as the best bets once a match or competition has concluded.

The difficulty is in finding these best bets before the games begin. While professional betting tips and free betting tips can help, and can be used when placing free bets as a kind of ‘risk-free’ way of testing the tipster’s validity, there are no sure bets in the world of gambling.

The best thing to do is look into all of the key statistics, use your knowledge of the sport, see what the experts say to get some inside information on the event at hand, and then place your bet.

Betting on a football match can be as simple as predicting if the result will be a home win, an away win or a draw. But it doesn't end there.

Thanks to increased demand following the rise in online betting, there are now hundreds of ways you can bet on a football match. Add live in-play betting into the equation and the number grows further.

If you are a novice bettor, it’s easy to get overwhelmed by the choice available. So, it’s best to begin by focusing on the most popular bet types. One bet type that is appealing to punters of all levels is the scorecast bet.

 

What Is A Scorecast Bet?

Some punters like to combine one or more bets together to create a multiple or accumulator. But it is not always possible to do this in a single event or in markets that are closely related.

For example, it is not possible to combine a first goalscorer bet and a correct score bet in the same football match. This is because the correct score odds will be directly affected by the player who scores first.

To solve the issue of related contingencies in some markets, bookmakers may offer cast bets which take the relation between the two bets into account. These bets still offer good value and will give you better odds than if you wagered on the two bets individually.

The scorecast bet allows you to bet on the first goalscorer and correct score in a football match. This bet can give you great odds and big payouts are possible.

In simple terms, the bet consists of two separate wagers, so it easier to view it as a double or accumulator. To place a scorecast bet, you must predict the first goalscorer and the correct result in a football match.

As mentioned before, if you try to add these bets to your bet slip individually and then combine, it will not be possible. You must look for the scorecast section in the list of markets and select your two predictions from there.

The strong odds make these bets attractive to newcomers and some bookmakers offer further incentives on scorecast bets such as money back offers.

 

Example Of A Scorecast Bet

If Liverpool are playing at home to AFC Bournemouth and you think they will win 2-0 and 2018 Golden Boot winner Mohamed Salah will score first, you can place this bet as a scorecast.

Liverpool might be 6/1 to win by that scoreline and Salah might be 9/2 to score first. If you backed these picks as two individual bets and they were both successful, you would get a total return of £12.50 from two £1.00 bets.

However, with a scorecast bet, you might get a price of around 22/1 giving you a total return of £23.00 from a stake of £1.00.

This might seem too good to be true; but remember, if you place the bets as two singles, you will still get a return if only one of the predictions is correct. For the scorecast bets, both predictions must be correct or the whole bet will be lost.

If you were able to place these two wagers as a double, the odds would be around 75/1. However, Salah scoring first increases the chances of Liverpool winning 2-0, so bookmakers do not allow this. Instead, they treat the bets as two separate wagers.

 

High Risk, High Reward

Any bet with high odds represents a greater risk. However, they allow you to bet a smaller amount for a greater return. As a punter, you have to decide what strategy is best for you.

Some bettors prefer to bet on shorter odds to get a regular return over the long term, while others prefer to land the occasional big winner.

In either case, you need to assess if the bet offers value at the price offered. By getting the best value you can, you increase your chances of achieving a positive yield in the long term or minimising your losses.

To decide if a bet offers good value, you should study recent form and statistics and make your own judgment on the probability of the outcomes. If the price is higher than your calculations suggest it should be, then the bet offers value.

 

How To Place A Scorecast Bet With 888sport

To place a scorecast bet with 888, simply log in to your account and then navigate to the market you want to bet on. You will find a list of popular markets on the left-hand side of the page and, below that, a list of all the sports that you can bet on at 888sport.

For example, if you want to bet on a Premier League match, just select Premier League from the popular markets list. A list of upcoming matches will appear with the most popular bets listed to the right of each fixture.

There will also be a number such as +150 indicating how many other markets are available.

If you click on the fixture, a menu featuring all the markets will appear. Just locate the scorecast market and make your two selections. Then choose your stake and confirm your bet. Your bet will then be saved in your account history.

 

Which Sports Can I Place A Scorecast Bet On?

Scorecast bets can be placed on football matches and are valid for the standard 90 minutes including any time added on for injuries, substitutions etc.

The bets offer long odds and some bookmakers may offer money-back specials on scorecast bets. Games featuring low-scoring teams where a 1-0 scoreline is likely are popular with scorecast bettors.

You may also see bets labelled as cast bets in horse racing markets. The most popular are the forecast and tricast bets, but these are slightly different to football cast bets.

These bets allow the punter to bet on the correct finishing order for the top 2 or 3 positions in a race.

 

Learn More About Other Bet Types

To understand more about why bookmakers offer cast betting, read our article on related contingencies. This explains why scorecast bets are different from standard multiple wagers.

As well as straight accumulator bets, there are also many types of bets that allow you to combine a number of selections into a range of singles, doubles, trebles and accumulators.

These bets may offer huge potential returns if all the selections are correct, but even if just a few of the predictions are correct, you can still make a profit. Some popular multiple combination bets include the Trixie bet, the Yankee bet, the Goliath bet and the Heinz bet.

Other types of cast betting include the Wincast, which involves predicting the anytime, first or last goalscorer and the team to win, and the Timecast, which requires the punter to pick a goalscorer and the time of the goal between a certain period such as 21-45 minutes.

Once you have learned all about scorecast betting, you might want to find out more about other bet types offered by 888sport. On some football matches, 888sport might offer in excess of 200 markets. Our comprehensive betting guide tells you all you need to know.

 

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

There has always been a healthy number of team competitions scattered throughout the season on the professional tennis betting circuit and, despite a roaring approval from a portion of the fans, do they compare at all to the more high profile Grand Slams?

It will obviously depend on who you ask, as not everyone's definition of what constitutes a success is the same, but there is a general feeling, even if it isn’t universal, that a tennis tournament that is played as a team event can be a bit of a damp squib.

The Appealing Side Of Tennis As A Team Sport

Not all of tennis’ team events are a totally lost cause and, in many cases, they do get the pulses racing of the fans.

The Davis Cup, for instance, is backed by loud and vociferous crowds that flock to the stadium to support their respective countries. If you had to compare it to another sort of atmosphere in sport, golf’s Ryder Cup would be the equivalent. 

There is something about team tournaments in sports that, for the majority of the season, are played in a fierce individual environment that seems to galvanize the crowd and players.

The normal etiquette in the stands goes out the window and instead of a polite, well-mannered set of spectators, players are met by a partisan and unforgiving mob that are baying for blood.

Well, the Davis Cup and, to a certain degree, the Fed Cup, are no different. The home fixtures of the smaller countries are particularly passionate affairs to witness with shock results often forthcoming.

As we see so often, a crowd that is really up for a sporting showdown makes the event hum and almost always spurs on the players to produce the unexpected, both savoury and unsavoury.

In that sense, tennis as a team sport works and has a vital part to play in the season. You can be absolutely sure that when the Davis Cup final is played in late November, there will be the same passionate atmosphere as the French try and defend their title.

And, at 4/5 to do it, they look well placed to beat the Croatians.

 

Current Attempt To Revive Tennis' Team Events

Despite having passionate crowds, tennis’ team sports have been in decline for the past few years, with talk of change been bandied about by the powers that be.

It was announced in August 2018 that the Davis Cup would undergo an overhaul that, plainly speaking, will make it unrecognisable.

The changes were made because there was a feeling that the Davis Cup took up too many weeks on the calendar and, in turn, was prohibiting the world's best players from taking part.

There has been a mixed response to the changes with top stars divided; Roger Federer expressed his disappointment, whereas Novak Djokovic was pleased. 

The new system will see the home and away matches scrapped, with a neutral venue established and, instead of having to find four weeks in their schedule to play in the Davis Cup, players will now have the luxury of taking part in a week-long finale without the hassle of travel.

Normally, towards the back end of the season, there is only one thing in the minds of the world's top players and that's the Australian Open in January.

For a player like Djokovic, who is at 8/5 to win in Melbourne in the tennis betting, it presents a chance to get the season off to the right start and lay down a marker to the rest of the field. These changes may afford the big names a chance to give both events their time. 

It’s obvious that the ITF member nations thought change was needed in order to save their beloved Davis Cup and make it more attractive to the public.

But, by doing so, they may have ripped out the heart and soul of the 118-year-old event. In reality, it’s a case of being damned if you do and damned if you don’t. If the Davis Cup were to stay how it was, the world's best players would continue to skip it.

However, by removing the home and away matches, the ITF have single-handedly destroyed the unique nature of an event that has been going for well over a century.

There is a real effort at the moment to make team tennis more watchable and now it appears that there will be yet another team tournament lined up in the shape of the revamped World Team Cup.

This will be a 24-team event that starts in 2020 but there’s no guarantee the top players in the world will add this to the schedule even if it will be a lucrative event, as it cuts the off-season to a mere five weeks.

It almost feels as if the team events are squeezed into the calendar as more of an obligation than anything else.

 

The 'Major' Difference

If you were to walk down the street and ask someone if Roger Federer had ever won a Davis Cup, you may be met with a blank stare but if you were to ask even the least-informed sports fan if Federer had won Wimbledon, you would probably get an instant answer.

Team events come in a very distant second to Grand Slams and that’s because winning a Davis Cup or Fed Cup doesn’t mean as much as winning a major.

At the end of a player's career, they aren't judged on how many team events they won but rather how many grand slams they retired on.

When you consider the career-long duel Federer and Nadal have had, the debate rages on as to who is the greatest. Any argument for or against is solely based on how many grand slams they have won and that’s why Federer is regarded by most as the greatest.

However, there can be no denying Nadal’s superiority on clay and, at strong>EVENS to win the French Open next year, it looks like he will take one step closer to Federer’s record of 20 grand slams.

It is these storylines that capture the public's imagination which ultimately sets any Grand lam apart from a team event.

In turn, the coverage is a lot greater and more centred around Grand Slams as the narrative is one that the sponsors can get excited about.

The major difference between the success of team events as opposed to Grand Slams goes right back to the early beginnings of a player's career. 

It’s a very lonely experience growing up as a tennis star destined for the greatest heights as you sacrifice a lot during what is a solo journey.

The world’s best tennis players today were conditioned from a young age to beat the individual on the other side of the nest in order to advance their career and personal prospects.

Apart from a good coach and some support from family, all the success players have enjoyed is because they did it by themselves, there was no team to rely on to get them there.

In that way, team tournaments in tennis are quite foreign to the best players in the world and their participation or lack of it at these events, says just about as much.

When all is said and done, a player is going to do what’s right for them and them alone. Winning a Grand Slam is about as hard as it gets, especially if you have been unfortunate enough to have played at the same time as Federer, Nadal, and Djokovic.

The players know that and give more of their time to the Grand Slam majors than anything else.

That is essentially why these team events, as passionately supported as they are, won’t ever be as successful as the playing of Grand Slams. Fans, pundits, and the media want to see the greatest exhibit their skills and to do so in tennis, you have to be playing in Grand Slams for that to be truly recognised.

 

888 sport never hits the net when it comes to tennis bets

 

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

Depending on who you talk to, technological advancement is either the final frontier or quite simply the worst thing to happen to modern civilisation within the last couple of centuries or so.

However, no matter what side of the argument you find yourself on, it is difficult to deny that technology has enriched many different aspects of our lives and with scientific breakthroughs happening on a consistent basis.

Technology will continue to be an important part of our future whether we like it or not...

When it comes to the topic of technology, sport has undoubtedly been one of the main beneficiaries - "Hawkeye" technology has certainly gone some way to eradicate human error in sports such as tennis and cricket.

In addition, although VAR has been underwhelming so far with regards to football, goal-line technology has been so successfully implemented that it's easy to forget that it even exists anymore.

But what about other sports such as golf? Has technology been successfully implemented within the game and if so, what can we expect to see in the future? Does technology threaten to undermine the traditional values of the sport?

 

The Evolution Of The Golf Ball

In order to assess and discuss the way that technology has changed the game of golf, it's imperative to look back through the history of the sport.

Traditionally, the earliest versions of golf were played with wooden balls and as you can imagine, it took a fair bit of effort to get the ball airborne, never mind anywhere near the pin.

After this came the feathery - a leather pouch which was stuffed with chicken or goose feathers. Naturally, this was much more practical than a wooden ball but still came with its own problems.

For one, the feathery refused to retain its shape after a few good drives and what's more, the ball was often warped by the elements including water and extreme heat.

In order for the sport to grow organically, an alternative was needed and, in the mid-1800s, the gutty ball came along and completed revolutionised the golfing game forever. 

Over the next 150 years or so, many more innovations followed and your local golf shop will now be home to hundreds of different types of balls which are designed specifically to suit the conditions you're playing in and fit your ideal flight patterns and swing speeds.

The concept of the "SMART" golf ball has also piqued the interest of many companies, including OnCore, who are currently seeking funding for a ball which will contain a high-performance GPS system as well as a self-charging battery.

Along with apps such as Arccos which provides golfers with valuable information about their performances, technology has massively contributed to the evolution of the golf ball.

As a result, players are hitting the ball further and much more consistently than they did in years gone by.

 

The Changing Nature Of The Club

In terms of golf clubs, the general shape hasn't really altered all that much over the course of the sport's long and illustrious history.

Nevertheless, you could argue that golf clubs have arguably changed more than any other aspect of the game within the last couple of decades or so and this is in part due to a better understanding of aerodynamics.

The average modern day driver, for example, may weigh, on average, 50 grams lighter than previous versions and constant technological advancement in this area means that components inside the club are becoming stronger and lighter.

This is precisely why the heads on drivers seem to be increasing in size with every passing season and thanks to new materials, most drivers are much more forgiving when it comes to making less than perfect contact with the ball off the tee.

Although we're not doubting their power and ability, some of the smaller players on tour use the biggest headed drivers and continue to feature at the top of the driving distance lists, which speaks volumes about current club technology.

Rory McIlroy, for example, is 11/4 to land a major in 2019 and will undoubtedly be looking to use his extra yards to gain an edge over the competition.

Whether you're a hardcore golfing aficionado or just a casual follower of the sport, chances are that you'll be familiar with the term "hybrid club".

Hybrid clubs give players a greater loft opportunity when striking the ball thanks to the increased launch angle when compared to some of the more traditional irons.

As a result, hybrids are once again more forgiving than "normal" clubs and place less importance on the mechanics and specifics of ones swing.

Nike have been at the forefront of producing top of the range hybrid clubs and with proponents such as Tiger Woods back to winning ways, it seems that their investment has paid off.

Woods is a mere 8/1 to land The Masters title next year in 888sport's golf betting odds and will no doubt have a hybrid club or two in his armoury when he rolls up at Augusta.

In addition to this, the modern-day putter has also gone through many changes - modern technology has made putters more balanced and with different variations such as the "toe-hang" or "face-balanced" putter now available, golfers now have a much more improved chance of being successful on the green.

 

Drones, SMART Golf Carts And Augmented Reality

Drones have had an interesting journey over the last decade or so and have gone from multi-million pound pieces of equipment solely used by the military to run-of-the-mill the toys which teenagers regularly ask for as Christmas gifts.

In terms of their usefulness on the golf course, a quick drone flyover can give you an extensive view of the environment and highlight the pitfalls and dangers of any course.

Furthermore, drones can also alleviate the pressure and effort expended to find lost balls and can even calculate atmospheric pressure, temperature and wind speed.

Ever heard of a golf cart which can give you live music, TV and course GPS? No? Well you have now - golfing legend Greg Norman and Verizon have teamed up to produce an interactive golf cart which essentially houses an onboard computer and entertainment system.

In terms of taking the sport into the 21st century and beyond, the PGA have also got in on the act by launching an augmented reality app.

The app allows spectators to see 3D versions of courses being played at all around the world and the tour has vowed to have at least one hole from every tournament in the golfing calendar by the end of next year.

 

Controversy And The Changing Traditions Of Golf

As has been previously mentioned, where technological advancement is mooted, dissenting voices often follow and this has been seen throughout the golfing world.

The PGA faces constant battles with governing bodies over issues such as driving distances; the R&A and USGA concluded that the seven-yard increase in driving distance seen last year was "unusual and concerning".

As a result, there are apparent plans to reign in the effects of the "modern golf ball." With players such as Tony Finau effortlessly averaging well over 320 yards off the tee, it was only a matter of time before the relevant authorities decided to get involved.

Finau is currently 50/1 to land the U.S PGA Championship next year and with the ability to strike the ball further than anyone on tour, you'd like to think that it won't be long until the American breaks his major duck.

In addition to this, there has been controversy around the use of video technology within golf following the controversial decision to award Lexi Thompson a four-stroke penalty in the ANA Inspiration tournament back in April.

Governing bodies have recently made changes which allow course officials more flexibility and the power to apply common sense in certain situations.

It would be difficult to argue that video technology within golf is inherently bad for the sport but, at the same time, it's important that human players aren't held to account simply because they aren't capable of mimicking the precision afforded by video evidence.

Many golfing purists argue that modern technology is making the game of golf far too easy.

With the many changes that both clubs and balls have gone through in the last few decades, it's certainly true that modern-day equipment is far more forgiving when it comes to striking the ball.

Golfing greats such as Nick Faldo and Gary Player have voiced their concerns over the use of technology ruining the traditional values of the sport and reducing the skill sets required in order to be successful at the top level.

Whilst Faldo and Player are undoubted legends in the sport, one has to question whether their grievances stem from the fact that they would have loved to have modern-day technology available to them when they were playing at the top of their game.

What would these players have been able to do with a hybrid club for example? Who knows.

However, it's worth remembering that golf is now much more of a spectator sport than ever before, especially with the increasing amounts of money and sponsorship on offer.

As a result, fans want to see the ball hit harder, further and with more accuracy than ever before because it makes for a more exciting spectacle.

With the level that modern-day professionals play at, the margin between winning and losing is indeed finer than ever but, if the same equipment is available to all players, then the playing field still remains fairly even in most peoples eyes.

For now, the best and most consistent players over four-day tournaments still takes home the trophy and, until that changes, technology within golf can only be seen as a step in the right direction.

 

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

Manchester City are flying high at the top of the Premier League table and Pep Guardiola’s side will be quietly confident of victory against their fierce rivals this weekend.

Led by the egotistical Jose Mourinho, Manchester United will attempt to defy the odds and win at the Etihad Stadium for the second season in a row.

That defeat to United is the only blemish on City’s Premier League home record since the start of December 2016 – an incredible run of form to say the least.

Guardiola will have his troops fired up and ready for this one, though 2/5 isn’t much of a price considering the quality of opposition City are up against.

In addition, the Red Devils head into this clash off the back of one of their finest results in recent times.

United came from behind to defeat Juventus in Turin on Wednesday evening and Mourinho’s swagger returned post-match. With Jose in that kind of mood, United are capable of going toe-to-toe with their city rivals.

Destructive At One End, Determined At The Other

City have been simply sublime in 2018/19, conceding just four goals in 11 Premier League outings.

Any doubts over City’s ability to defend have been scuppered; they have the best defensive record in England’s top flight by some distance. The hosts are 7/5 to keep a clean sheet on Sunday afternoon.

In the final third, City are doing City things. Guardiola’s men are averaging three goals per game and plenty of punters will fancy the Premier League champions to run riot.

Sergio Aguero, 4/6 to score anytime this weekend, has been in fantastic form in recent weeks and he could be the one to watch from a City perspective.

Inconsistent But United Have Quality To Win

The Red Devils have been hit and miss against their rivals so far this campaign. United were pitiful in their 3-0 defeat at home to Tottenham Hotspur but came within minutes of a huge scalp against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge.

Mourinho's men are a little Jekyll and Hyde when it comes to facing the Premier League’s elite clubs and that is why the Red Devils are 15/2 to prevail.

Paul Pogba was central to United’s come-from-behind triumph over their rivals back in April but the Red Devils may have to cope without the France international on Sunday afternoon.

The United man missed Friday’s training session and will now take a late fitness test in a bid to make Mourinho’s starting line-up.

Pep vs Jose: A Match In Itself

These two have history from their respective spells at Barcelona and Real Madrid.

While the rivalry has cooled somewhat since those famous El Clasico contests, there is an added edge to this fixture because of the two men in the dugouts. Pep is the best manager on the planet while Mourinho is Mourinho. Jose will never change…

The phrase ‘Mourinho Masterclass’ has been coined over the years and a positive result for United might be enough for fans to label this as another win for the Portuguese.

However, stopping this City juggernaut is easier said than done. City could run riot if the Blues make an early breakthrough; getting through the first 15 minutes unscathed is imperative for Mourinho’s men.

City have improved defensively but United always have a goal in them. With that in mind, opting for a home win with both teams scoring at least once is the way to go at 8/5.

This is the perfect stage for City to bring their arch rivals back down to earth with a crushing win on home soil.

 

TIP: Manchester City to win and both teams to score @ 8/5

LONGSHOT: Sterling to score first and City to win 3-1 (Priced at 45/1 with 888sport)

PREDICTED SCORE: Man City 3-1 Man United (Priced at 9/1 with 888sport)

 

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

A week of European action means the Premier League’s Saturday schedule is often a little quiet.

We’ve got a bumper Super Sunday this weekend too, which leaves us with just four fixtures for the Soccer Saturday/BT Sport Score/Final Score teams to yelp at.

Below are a few thoughts and tips on those four matches.

Huddersfield Town vs WEST HAM UNITED

Huddersfield finally got their first win of the season against Fulham on Monday night. The Terriers are still in the bottom three but will hope that can be a springboard.

David Wagner’s side struggle mightily in the final third, both with creating and scoring chances. West Ham’s defence should give the hosts opportunities this weekend, though.

The Hammers have been good to watch since recovering from their dodgy start. Marko Arnautovic and Felipe Anderson starred last time out and the duo look capable of troubling even the league’s best defences.

How those two perform will go a long way to deciding this match...

West Ham are yet to get their results that their performances have warranted this season. The extra quality in the final third makes them a solid bet to get the win.

TIP: West Ham to win @ 5/4

PREDICTED SCORE: West Ham to win 2-0 at 9/1

 

LEICESTER CITY vs Burnley

Leicester got an emotional victory away to Cardiff last weekend. The Foxes are up to tenth thanks to a solid start to the campaign.

Mid-table is where this squad belongs and Claude Puel has his team playing almost exactly to expectation.

Burnley, you could argue, have regressed to the mean. Last season was a real freak for the Clarets.

They have conceded 13 goals in their last three matches and are in for a long relegation battle. The defence that defied logic is suddenly leaking goals.

This is the sort of match Burnley would have been fancied for last season. It’s different this season, and it is hard to see past a Leicester win.

TIP: Leicester to win @ 4/9

PREDICTED SCORE: Leicester to win 3-0 at 17/2

 

Newcastle United vs AFC BOURNEMOUTH

The Magpies doubled their points tally for the season with victory against Watford last weekend.

This is a big match for Newcastle, who need to build on that positive result in front of a nervous St James’ crowd. Rafa Benitez needs his side to be resolute, and perhaps fortunate, defensively given their attacking issues.

Bournemouth are not an easy side to stop. They are creating chances as well as any team in the league outside of the top three and Eddie Howe has a number of players capable of contributing.

Ryan Fraser, David Brooks and Callum Wilson have all impressed and will fancy their chances against a weakened Newcastle.

The form book points to an away win. The safer bet might be the double chance as Newcastle will be happy enough to avoid defeat.

TIP: Bournemouth to win or draw @ 4/9

PREDICTED SCORE: Bournemouth to win 2-0 at 11/1

 

Southampton vs WATFORD

Mark Hughes is under severe pressure, which wasn’t helped by the 6-1 defeat to Manchester City last weekend.

Saints are outside the bottom three at the moment, but they are just two points above Fulham, who are currently 20^th. Their finishing has cost them dearly so far, with only Huddersfield having scored fewer.

Watford have had a good start to the season. The Hornets were frustrated by Newcastle last time out, though, as wasted opportunities in the first half cost them.

A top half finish looks well within their reach this campaign, and they could move up to sixth with victory on the south coast.

Watford are a good side this year. Javi Gracia has his team well-organised and making the most of their talent. Hughes has not achieved the same with Southampton. A home win is unlikely - side with the Hornets to avoid defeat.

TIP: Watford to win or draw @ 4/7

PREDICTED SCORE: Watford to win 1-0 at 15/2

 

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