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*

November 12, 2018

By 888sport

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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*

November 12, 2018

By 888sport

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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*

November 12, 2018

By 888sport

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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*

November 9, 2018

By Alex McMahon

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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. 
 

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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 20th. 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*

November 9, 2018
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Sam is a sports tipster, specialising in the Premier League and Champions League.

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

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

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

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Former Manchester City star Richard Dunne believes Pep Guardiola’s men are capable of raising the bar further still on a record-breaking season and this time remaining unbeaten throughout. What’s more he’s certain that the players believe this too.

“The way they are performing they look like that can score four or five goals every time they go up the field. Somewhere at the back of their minds they will be thinking of an invincible season, and going through the whole year unbeaten. They will also have one eye on winning the Champions League. We said last year that this was some of the best football ever seen and they’ve gone up a level this year so it’s all looking really good at the moment. So they certainly have the potential to be even more successful even than an invincible season.”


The defender, who was capped 80 times by the Republic of Ireland in a career that spanned two decades, was speaking exclusively to 888sport just moments after another six-goal masterclass from the Blues and though the ruthless attacking football greatly impressed, what encouraged Dunne the most was City’s eleventh clean sheet of the season. It’s a miserliness founded on a recently established centre-back pairing of John Stones and Aymeric Laporte, a partnership that the 39 year old pundit insists is breaking new ground.

“They are very different to when you go back over the years to the centre-back pairings that United had. Vidic and Stam, Steve Bruce and Pallister even. They were tough tacklers whereas the two City have – who are the only two centre-backs that Pep has bought – are completely within his profile of ball-playing defenders.

They don’t seem to be in positions to need last-ditch tackles. Instead they read the game really well and obviously with the team they have ahead of them - and Fernandinho in particular - they are not under so much pressure. This brings its own issue though because they need to concentrate all the time and remain switched on.”

“The understanding that they’ve got could make this a long-standing partnership and certainly the most successful in Premier League history.”


While the Spaniard has been in imperious form to this point, it’s the heightened performances of Stones that should have English supporters drooling, with Dunne stating that the Three Lions are ‘very lucky’ to have him. As for City they have a ready-made successor to Vincent Kompany, armband and all.

“Whether John Stones becomes the captain in the long-term or not he’s certainly becoming a leader in his own way. He had a tough first season when he signed because he made mistakes but he was always brave enough to stand up to it then come back out and try the same things. He’s gradually getting the mistakes out of his game and is improving all of the time and he’s someone who is happy to accept responsibility. He’d be a good captain for City.”


If defensively City are impregnable at present, the same cannot be said of their arch rivals across town who are unusually looking somewhat suspect at the back. If this is a cause for concern at any time, that concern can be multiplied ten-fold for Manchester United ahead of a combustible derby this weekend and Dunne believes Jose Mourinho can’t and won’t stand for it much longer.

“It’s not easy for United because when you look around the world there is not that many centre-backs playing at that top level who they can get from other clubs. Since the days of Ferdinand and Vidic, United have struggled to get a settled two and I’m sure as soon as Mourinho has the opportunity he will change the two he has now for different ones.

At the moment he has Lindelof and Smalling but they don’t inspire confidence throughout the team and as soon as that transfer window opens I’m sure they will be out looking for centre-backs again.”


United’s problems of course do not solely reside with their back four and Dunne – who remains a firm fan favourite within the blue camp of Manchester after winning the club’s Player of the Year award four years’ running in the mid-2000s – insists their short-comings are as much to do with a lack of organisation off the pitch as on it.
 
“When you look at how Manchester City are run all of the decisions, all the way up, are made by footballing people; people who understand the game and have been involved in football for a long time and know all about the coaches needs and the player’s needs. Whereas at United it is businessmen all the way up who are qualified in other areas but with no understanding of actual football.”
 
“This is why they fail in terms of transfer negotiations and the structure of the club. They don’t understand that it’s not just about the first team and the here and now. It’s about planning for the future and for all the money Manchester United have spent you don’t look at them and think ‘well in five years’ time they’ll be great because they have all these young players’. They are going to have to buy again and again and again.”

“They need to restructure everything from top to bottom if they want to catch up with Manchester City.”

Having come up against the very best forwards the world has to offer during his time with City and Ireland, and later Aston Villa and QPR, Dunne knows all-too-well what separates the truly special from the merely elite and indeed man-marked this Sunday’s two main front men during the latter stages of his playing days. For the amiable Irishman there is simply no comparison.

“I played against Lukaku and Aguero and I know straight-up that the hardest opponent is Aguero. He’s just the greatest striker around. He is physically strong, he’s sharp, he can shoot from any distance and his movement is brilliant. He is the complete centre-forward and City have been blessed to have him for so long. The goals he has scored tells you everything you need to know about him and without doubt he’s one of the best Premier League strikers of all time.”

Widening the scope and looking ahead to Sunday the narrative surrounding this derby clash contrasts hugely with Dunne’s day when Sir Alex Ferguson’s team were in the ascendancy gobbling up silverware by the bucketful while City were consistently the relative paupers. Does he believe those days might return anytime soon with the Reds regaining the upper hand? 

“As long as Pep is there and as long as they’re playing the way that they are you’d fancy Man City over Manchester United every single time. There has been a shift in the city over who is the most dominant team and City have the brighter future. Whether they admit it or not United are coming into the game on Sunday as underdogs.”

That is not to say however that United should be completely ruled out of contention in a domestic battle at the top that is becoming more and more enthralling with every passing week. 

“I think United will improve over the course of the season and they will still have a say in things but towards the end they won’t be challenging for the league. You’ll be looking more towards Liverpool being the biggest threat this year and that’s because since Pep has come in football has changed and it’s now more about attacking.

Whereas United are still stuck in a situation where they are so desperate not to lose they forget to go and attack sometimes. Liverpool, City and Chelsea want to express themselves and win matches and that’s what the fans want to see and what makes this league so exciting.  

Richard Dunne’s quick-fire questions

Score prediction for Sunday’s derby?
1-0 to City
Goal-scorer?
Aguero
Who will win the Premier League?
Manchester City
Who will win the Golden Boot?
Harry Kane
Who will win the Champions League?
Manchester City

November 8, 2018

By 888sport

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

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With five of the Premier League’s top six clubs in action on Sunday, you could be forgiven for thinking that Saturday’s top-flight fixtures will be underwhelming.

However, every game is crucial in England’s primary club competition – whether you are fighting at the top of the table or attempting to avoid relegation.

It should be an excellent day of football with so much at stake; Tottenham Hotspur are our top tip to prevail at Selhurst Park. Without further ado, let’s get down to the fixtures.

 

CARDIFF CITY vs BRIGHTON & HOVE ALBION

The Bluebirds have lost seven of their previous eight Premier League games but Cardiff fans will be quietly confident ahead of this encounter.

You’d almost put this match in the ‘must win’ category for Neil Warnock’s side. Lose here and an instant return to the Championship could be on the cards.

31/20 is a solid price for those fancying Cardiff to claim three points on Saturday afternoon. The home crowd will be expecting a positive result after their recent woes.

Meanwhile, Brighton have picked up just four points from six away fixtures in 2018/19 and road form was always going to be key to their survival hopes.

Chris Hughton’s side had won three on the spin before falling short at Goodison Park last time out and this is the perfect opportunity for Brighton to claim an away win.

If you look back to last season, the Seagulls have emerged victorious in just one of their last 19 Premier League away games. 8/15 for Brighton to avoid defeat isn’t much of a price.

Both clubs will be going all out for the win but it may be a case of endeavour over quality. It probably won’t be a classic but I do like the 27/25 for both teams to score.

TIP: Both teams to score @ 27/25

PREDICTED SCORE: Cardiff 1-1 Brighton (Priced at 5/1 with 888sport)

 

Crystal Palace vs TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR

Crystal Palace are winless in their last six Premier League encounters – a run that stretches back to a narrow victory over Huddersfield Town in September.

Roy Hodgson worked wonders at Selhurst Park last season but the Eagles have failed to inspire confidence in 2018/19. Only three top flight clubs have scored fewer goals than Palace.

With that in mind, opting for under 2.5 match goals in Saturday’s clash might be the way to go. Available at an appealing 21/20, a low-scoring contest looks likely.

Tottenham showed plenty of grit and resilience to turn things around against PSV Eindhoven on Tuesday night – Spurs found themselves a goal down after less than two minutes.

Mauricio Pochettino’s men are made of stern stuff these days; Tottenham’s spineless days are well and truly over. Another Premier League victory beckons here…

The 3/4 price for Spurs to score two or more goals is a good one. That has landed in six of Tottenham’s 11 Premier League games this season.

Taking everything into account, 23/10 for an away win to nil is one of the bets of the week. Spurs should have no problems dispatching Palace on current form.

TIP: Spurs to win to nil @ 23/10

PREDICTED SCORE: Crystal Palace 0-2 Tottenham (Priced at 8/1 with 888sport)

 

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

November 8, 2018

By Alex McMahon

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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. 
 

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Transfer windows are often defined by the transfers that don’t happen. It is galling for clubs and players alike when long transfer sagas fail to resolve successfully.

It may be too early to gauge the effects on Liverpool and Spurs of missing out on Nabil Fekir and Jack Grealish respectively, but they are unlikely to have the same consequences as when Sheffield United missed out on a certain legendary Argentine forward.

Here are eight transfers that failed, but whose success could have reshaped the global footballing landscape.

Alfredo Di Stefano to Barcelona

One of the greatest players of all-time, Alfredo Di Stefano's name is near synonymous with that of Real Madrid. That is what propelling the club to five European Cups and scoring in each final will do for a player.

Yet it was nearly so very different. Barcelona were in pole position to bring Di Stefano to Spain, but mishandled the complex negotiation process.

Real Madrid swooped in to strike a suitable deal when realising that Barcelona were stuck in a bureaucratic quagmire. Barcelona remained convinced that they had done enough to formalise the transfer of Di Stefano.

The Spanish Football Federation was required to determine Di Stefano's destination. Somewhat diplomatically, it was ruled that Di Stefano should play for alternate clubs over four years.

Luis Figo has since gone on to prove that such a strategy does not go down too well. Barcelona refused the deal and ripped up their contract for Di Stefano.

That may have been a bit hasty; a month into his Real Madrid career, Di Stefano smashed four goals past Barcelona in his first El Clasico.

 

David de Gea to Real Madrid

It’s not inconceivable that most modern footballers wouldn't recognise a fax machine, preferring to use wacky concepts like email instead.

That’s good news for the temperamental fax machine that prevented De Gea sealing his much-desired transfer from Manchester United to Real Madrid. The world-class goalkeeper could have been forgiven for wanting to take a baseball bat to the fax machine.

This was the summer of 2015. Real Madrid have won the Champions League in every season since. Manchester United have made it past the group stage of the Champions League once in those three seasons.

Madrid are odds of 9/1 to win another Champions League, compared with United's 35/1; for De Gea, Real Madrid is the one that got away.

 

Garrincha to Juventus

Garrincha's silky skills made him one of the greatest dribblers of all-time.

He came close to making the jump to Europe in a novel transfer; Juventus, AC Milan and Inter each bid one million dollars to take Garrincha for a year in a unique act of sharing among football clubs that now seems bizarre.

Alas, a curious set of circumstances derailed what was already a curious transfer. Juventus' manager at the time was Paulo Amaral, a former Botafogo manager aware of Garrincha's long-running battle with a knee injury.

Juventus scouted Garrincha in two friendlies to convince them the signing was worth the risk. Garrincha's poor performances encouraged Juventus to reduce their bid to $700,000, which Botafogo rejected.

What Juventus didn't know was that between the two friendlies, Garrincha honoured an agreement to play two more friendlies that left him fatigued and unable to show Juventus his dazzling best.

 

Zinedine Zidane to Blackburn Rovers

Blackburn Rovers haven't had the best luck when it comes to snapping up future world-beaters. Robert Lewandowski almost joined in 2010, the Polish striker set to fly to the UK to seal the deal.

However, Borussia Dortmund took the chance to snap him up when the ash cloud created by the Eyjafjallajokull volcano grounded Lewandowski's flight, making the news as difficult to take as it was to say for Blackburn fans.

Lewandowski is not the most illustrious player to have eluded Rovers' grasp though.

Zinedine Zidane, who would later go on to break the transfer world record, nearly swapped Bordeaux for the Premier League champions in 1995, but Rovers chairman Jack Walker had other ideas.

Walker blocked the transfer, allegedly stating that Zidane was an unnecessary signing when Blackburn already had Tim Sherwood.

If Jose Mourinho is to be the next manager to be sacked in the Premier League, Manchester United fans will be hoping they don't tread a similar path to Blackburn by choosing Sherwood over Zidane.

 

Eusebio to Sporting Lisbon

As a teenager, the forward played for Sporting’s feeder team in Mozambique. Benfica’s own feeder side had rejected the chance to snap up Eusebio. As his huge talent became increasingly evident, Eusebio began to seek a move to Portugal.

The nature of feeder clubs placed Sporting in pole position, but by this time Benfica had realised their fallacy in missing out on Eusebio. They would not miss out again.

Benfica offered a financial package that Sporting couldn’t match, with the ramifications proving defining for both Lisbon clubs. In his fifteen years at Benfica, Eusebio drove his team to win eleven titles and a European Cup.

The effects of missing out on Eusebio outlasted the striker’s career. When Eusebio joined, Benfica and Sporting had each won 10 league titles. The score now reads 36-18 in Benfica’s favour.

 

Rivaldo To Bolton Wanderers

Sam Allardyce hasn't always been a figure of derision in English football. There was a time where he was even linked with the Real Madrid job, although that link was propagated exclusively by Big Sam himself.

England's greatest ever manager enjoyed great success at Bolton, assembling an impressive side.

The big names went way beyond Stelios Giannakopoulos; Youri Djorkaeff, Jay-Jay Okocha and Ivan Campo all arrived in Bolton under Allardyce's watch, but there was almost a star to outshine them all.

In 2004, The Guardian reported that World Cup winner Rivaldo was on the verge of sealing a move to Bolton. Allardyce had allegedly been integral to persuading the former Barcelona star that Bolton was the place to be.

Kevin Davies sent out a warning message to one of the best players of his generation: 'we will see how good he is at tracking back!', said Davies of Rivaldo. Perhaps Davies scared him off, with Rivaldo tracking back all the way to Olympiakos instead.

 

Jean-Marc Bosman to Dunkerque

Jean-Marc Bosman may have had the most inauspicious footballing career out of the players listed here, but his failed transfer is the most significant of all.

Bosman was playing for RFC Liege until his contract expired in 1990. The midfielder fancied a switch to Dunkerque, but Dunkerque weren't sufficiently invested to pay Liege the demanded transfer fee.

Liege took this to mean that Bosman was theirs indefinitely, not that they really wanted him. Bosman saw his wages reduced because he was no longer considered a first-team player. Bosman sued Liege for restraint of trade, and won.

His legacy is the ability for players to sign pre-contracts to facilitate a free transfer. Bosman even gave his name to the type of transfer that has since been completed by much more fashionable footballers.

 

Diego Maradona to Sheffield United

Diego Maradona is one of the most influential players to have ever kicked a ball/punched a ball into the net at a World Cup. How would that influence have been affected if Maradona had joined Sheffield United as a 17-year-old?

Perhaps Maradona would now be mentioned in the same breath as Ade Akinbiyi when discussing strikers who failed at Sheffield United. In all likelihood, Maradona's prodigious talent would have become evident no matter where he played. 

Sheffield United's board baulked at the £200,000 fee to sign Maradona from Argentinos Juniors in 1978, despite manager Harry Haslam's enthusiasm to snap up the promising talent.

Instead, the Blades saved £40,000 by signing Maradona's compatriot Alex Sabella instead. Sabella was good, but he was no Maradona.

Sheffield United are currently flying in the Championship, with odds of 6/1 to lift the title, but maybe they'd be a Premier League fixture if Maradona had become a club legend.

Of course, the benefit of hindsight is a wonderful thing in football. So many players are touted as the next Maradona or the next Zidane but prove to be the next Stracqualursi or the next Guivarc’h.

No wonder Jim White is getting so excited on transfer deadline day; perhaps one of those signings could define the next decade for a club.

 

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

November 7, 2018

By 888sport

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Crunch time is approaching in the 2018/19 Champions League group stages; the race to qualify for the knockout rounds is heating up.

Only two teams from each group can advance to the next stage of the competition and most are still difficult to predict.

Both Manchester clubs are in action tonight ahead of Sunday’s derby at the Etihad Stadium – and both will be expecting positive results.

Without further ado, let’s get down to our 10/1 four-fold ahead of Wednesday’s Champions League football.

VALENCIA vs Young Boys

Valencia were comprehensively outplayed by Young Boys less than a fortnight ago but the La Liga outfit can get back to winning ways here.

On paper, the hosts are superior in almost every department and Young Boys may struggle to cope with the daunting Mestalla atmosphere.

The Swiss side will be hopeful of a positive result though – three points in this clash will give the visitors a great chance of snatching a Europa League berth.

Young Boys showed plenty of promise against Manchester United but crumbled after falling behind. Keeping this one close will be a priority for the away side.

1/2 may look short but Valencia should go for the jugular. With the chance to climb above Manchester United into second, the Spanish side must claim three points.

TIP: Valencia to win @ 1/2

PREDICTED SCORE: Valencia 2-0 Young Boys (Priced at 13/2 with 888sport)

 

BAYERN MUNICH vs AEK Athens

The Niko Kovac experiment has NOT gone to plan. The Allianz Arena faithful are disgruntled after a slow start to the season by Bayern Munich’s high standards.

Currently third in the Bundesliga table and second in their Champions League group, Bayern need a convincing performance here to silence some of the doubters.

AEK Athens held Bayern for 60 minutes before the Bavarians notched a quickfire double last time out – and the Greek side will be looking to frustrate Kovac’s side once again.

With three defeats so far in the 2018/19 competition, this is going to be difficult to AEK but football is a funny old game. The visitors will give it a good go…

Bayern will dominate the lion’s share of possession and 8/15 for over 7.5 home corners is a decent bet. Expect the German champions to spend most of the game camped in AEK’s half.

TIP: Over 7.5 home corners @ 8/15

PREDICTED SCORE: Bayern Munich 3-0 AEK Athens (Priced at 5/1 with 888sport)

 

Juventus vs MANCHESTER UNITED

Juventus are six points clear at the top of Serie A and the Old Lady have been particularly dominant on home soil, winning nine of their last 10 games in all competitions.

Max Allegri’s side are genuine contenders to win the Champions League this season and it wouldn’t be a huge surprise to see Juventus run riot on Wednesday evening.

Meanwhile, the Red Devils have the small matter of a Manchester Derby looming and Jose Mourinho will want to maintain momentum ahead of Sunday’s clash at the Etihad.

United have been solid enough since losing at home to Juventus, winning four of their last five Premier League games – the only blemish being that 2-2 draw away at Chelsea.

Juventus were dominant at Old Trafford but United could spring a shock here. 29/20 for the visitors to avoid defeat is my top tip ahead of this one.

TIP: Man United to win OR draw @ 29/20

PREDICTED SCORE: Juventus 1-1 Man United (Priced at 6/1 with 888sport)

 

MANCHESTER CITY vs SHAKHTAR DONETSK

This is a tough one to call. With Sunday’s big domestic clash on the horizon, Pep Guardiola may wring the changes for City – but he cannot afford to take Shakhtar lightly.

The Blues are sitting pretty at the top of Group F and three points here could be enough to secure passage through to the knockout stages.

Shakhtar will need plenty of luck to secure a positive result here; the Ukrainian side hardly had a touch of the ball in the first half two weeks ago.

After being comprehensively outplayed at home, Shakhtar may batten down the hatches on Wednesday evening. Damage limitation could be the way to go for the visitors.

Despite City’s obvious firepower, the under 3.5 goals mark at 19/20 carries plenty of appeal. The hosts should dominate but City may go into training mode if comfortable at 70 minutes.

TIP: Under 3.5 goals @ 19/20

PREDICTED SCORE: Man City 3-0 Shakhtar (Priced at 27/5 with 888sport)

 

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

November 7, 2018

By Alex McMahon

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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. 
 

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Ice hockey is a tremendous sport at all levels, combining the intricacy of handling a puck on the end of a stick with speed skating and immensely physical encounters.

But, it’s not just the big hits and fights which bring the excitement as ice hockey is a fast-paced, end-to-end sport which often produces a tremendous amount of goals.

With the sport rising in popularity all over the world, it comes as no surprise that the ice hockey betting markets have seen a lot more action in recent years.

Bet Calculator

So, to help to make the most of your ice hockey knowledge and the many great ways to bet on ice hockey, we’ve crafted this guide.

What Ice Hockey Markets Can I Bet On?

When it comes to ice hockey betting, there are a lot of leagues and markets to bet on.

You can bet on outright winners of many leagues, such as the CHL, KHL, Extraliga, DEL, SHL, and more, as well as more intricate outright bets in the NHL, including winners of the Eastern Conference and Western Conference.

This season, experts rule that the Tampa Bay Lightning are the favourites to win the Stanley Cup, and sit as the joint-favourites in the betting at 9/1 alongside the Toronto Maple Leafs.

But, the ice hockey action doesn’t stop there, as there are hundreds of betting markets for each game in the biggest leagues, including the NHL, CHL, and KHL. The NHL match betting offers the most intricate markets to bet on, including player points and player shots.

When Is The Best Time To Bet On Ice Hockey?

You can place a bet on the outright markets during and before the season but you may want to back your hunch earlier on because, that way, you’ll get better odds if they suddenly string a bunch of wins together and become heavy favourites.

Due to leagues like the NHL featuring over 1200 games per season, they play multiple games each week. So, bookies put the match markets for these on the day of the game.

In the UK, while the occasional game will be played at around 18:00, most days will see the earliest puck drop take place at 00:00, or 23:00 when the clocks change in the USA.

So, the best time to bet on match markets is a bit later in the day when the oddsmakers have had the morning to upload the odds for all of the markets.

Most of the time, the odds for all of the NHL markets will be live in the early afternoon, which include player points, three areas of period betting, and player shots.

Other leagues that don’t play as often may have their complete offering available much further in advance.

What Outright Bets Can I Place On Ice Hockey?

You can bet on a huge range of the most popular ice hockey leagues in the world, with outright markets for the eventual champion available in each.

Right now, you can find odds for the winner of Europe’s most prestigious competition, the CHL, for which Djurgardens and Skelleftea are currently the favourites at 9/1 each.

Then there’s also the KHL, NHL, World Championship, Czech Extraliga, Finland’s Liiga, the DEL Bundesliga, Norway’s GET-ligaen, the SHL, and the NLA in Switzerland.

Both the NHL and KHL outright betting markets also offer odds on their respective Eastern Conference and Western Conference champions.

In the KHL, Avangard Omsk sit with odds of 43/20 to become the top team in the Eastern Conference this season.

Meanwhile, on the other side of the Atlantic in the NHL, the revamped San Jose Sharks who now have the almighty Erik Karlsson in their defensive lines come in as the joint-second-favourites to claim the Western Conference at 5/1.

Ice Hockey Match Betting Markets

Ice hockey match betting offers a huge range of leagues to find matches in and then a plethora of markets to bet on in each game.

The match markets expand into many leagues beyond that of the outright betting, with the most popular leagues available daily.

In almost every match, you’ll find over 40 markets to bet on, which include match, period, and event betting. The more popular leagues will also include odds on goal scorers, player points, player shots, wincasts, scorecasts, and more match events.

How Do I Bet On The Winner Of An Ice Hockey Match?

One of the most popular forms of ice hockey betting is betting on the match. In ice hockey, games that finish regular time with the score even can go to overtime. So, there are in fact two lots of match markets.

When betting on the regular time markets, you are betting on the result of the game at the end of regular time, so you can back either team to win or the instance of a draw.

Or, if you think a team is going to win but want the safety net of your bet to include the potential of overtime, you can bet on either team to win in overtime and the potential penalty shootout.

You’ll get better odds by backing a result for regular time, but betting on a team to win including overtime and penalty shootout gives a nice safety net just in case the game goes beyond regulation, even though you’ll be taking shorter odds.

What Are The Best Match Markets To Bet On?

Like in many other team sports, you can find markets for draw no bet, total goals, handicaps, three-way handicaps, correct score, both teams to score, odd/even goal total, home goal total, and away goal total in ice hockey betting.

You can also back markets for the specific periods, including the winner of the period, the total goals, correct score, and if a goal is to be scored in the first ten minutes of the period.

When it comes to the best markets to bet on, handicap markets come in as very popular.

This is because, when a team is losing by one or two goals in the final minute of the game, they will pull their goaltender to get another skater on the ice in an attempt to score more goals.

While this strategy does sometimes find the team an equaliser, most of the time, it results in the leading team adding another goal to their tally thanks to the empty net. So, a -1 or even a -2 handicap has a nice chance of coming in with ice hockey betting.

Where Can I Bet On Goal Scorer And Point Scorer Markets?

In ice hockey betting, the goalscorer markets in many of the biggest leagues are very popular, but it’s the player points markets for the NHL betting which often dominates the betting slips.

In the 2016/17 NHL season, there was an average of 5.5 goals per game. Compare that to the 2.7 goals per game average in the Premier League last season, and you can see why people favour the ice hockey goalscorers markets.

On top of this, assists work differently in ice hockey, with the last two teammates to touch the puck before a goal being noted as providing an assist.

In ice hockey, the goal scorer and two assisting players all get a point when the puck hits the back of the net, meaning that players have a greater chance of scoring a point than footballers are a goal or an assist in their respective betting markets.

As ice hockey players are set up in lines of three forwards and two defensemen that rotate throughout the game, you can hone in on players on lines with many top players to find favourable odds in the goal scorer, player points, and player shots markets.

Also, the best offensive players will be utilised on the powerplay – which is the full-strength unit used when the opposition is down one or two skaters due to penalties – giving them even more chances to score points.

Using line-up tools like Left Wing Lock can help you to decipher which players you think have a greater chance of scoring a goal, point, or having plenty of shots.

Bettors who favour the point scorer markets often prefer to stack point scorers of one night into an accumulator to enhance their odds, as most of the most prolific scorers sit below evens in the odds.

Can I Bet On Live Ice Hockey Matches?

Due to the number of goals and the back-and-forth style of ice hockey, in-game live ice hockey betting has become very popular.

You’ll find many markets for almost every single live game in the ice hockey live betting section, including the match winner, total goals, events in the period, and handicaps.

If you’re watching the game and can see momentum switching to the team which is down by a goal or two, you can take advantage of the live odds to win the game, as they’ll most likely be at longer odds than when the game began.

Want To Learn More About How To Bet?

If you fancy engaging in some of the ice hockey betting detailed above but don’t quite know how to go about doing so, check out the useful, easy-going guides below:

How betting odds work
What’s a Canadian bet?
How do accumulators work?
The Ultimate Sport Betting Guide

August 4, 2020

By 888sport

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

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