While in tennis, there are only four Grand Slam titles available each season, in football, top teams can compete for as many as six or seven trophies in one campaign.

Regardless, these are the greatest teams and players in the history of their sports based on tournament wins and trophies, medals, or belts collected.

 

Football: Barcelona (89 trophies)

It’s very close between Real Madrid and Barcelona, but entering the 2018/19 season, Barcelona rank as the top football team on trophies collected with 89.

The finest pieces on their trophy wall include five European Cups and Champions League trophies as well as a massive 25 league titles. This season, Barcelona are the joint-favourites to add another Champions League trophy to their cabinet at 5/1.

Tennis: Margaret Court (24 Grand Slam titles)

She may not be considered the greatest tennis player of all-time, but Margaret Court certainly has the most Grand Slam victories at 24.

As of October 2018, Court has the most Grand Slam titles of any women’s or men’s singles players, but Serena Williams is hot on her heels with 23, and at 17/4 to win the Australian Open in 2019.

 

Boxing: Manny Pacquiao (Eight-division world champion)

In the 25^th fight of his career, Manny Pacquiao won the WBC and lineal flyweight titles by defeating Chatchai Sasakul via knockout.

The Filipino then moved on to claim world titles in seven more divisions, collecting the near unbeatable record of world titles in eight different divisions.

He’s still going, now at 60-7-2, with Floyd Mayweather now trying to whip up another money-and-media frenzy to battle Pacquiao again, for which the still active boxer is at 2/1 to win.

 

Ice Hockey: Canada Men's National Team (61 tournament wins)

Team Canada is by far the most dominant team in the sport of ice hockey. While they don’t win everything all of the time, they certainly manage to emerge victorious from many tournaments.

But, if the NHL decides to stop its players from attending the next Olympics, they’ll likely go without another medal. They’re once again the favourites to claim the World Championships in 2019 at 2/1 in the ice hockey betting.

 

Formula One: Ferrari (16 World Constructors' titles)

Way out in front of Williams, McLaren, Lotus, Red Bull Racing, and Mercedes, Ferrari is, historically, the best constructor in Formula One. However, they haven’t won the championship since Kimi Raikkonen and Felipe Massa drove their cars in 2007 and 2008.

Before that, they rode to a six-season World Constructors’ Championship streak with the legendary Michael Schumacher behind the wheel. This season, Ferrari’s Sebastian Vettel is at 7/4 to make a comeback and win the World Drivers’ Championship.

 

Boxing: Evander Holyfield (Four-time heavyweight champion)

Muhammad Ali was a three-time heavyweight world champion, Lennox Lewis a three-time, Mike Tyson a two-time, Wladimir Klitschko a two-time, but it’s Evander Holyfield who fought back to claim a heavyweight world title four times.

After becoming the undisputed cruiserweight champion of the world, he defeated Buster Douglas in 1990 to commence his first reign as a heavyweight world champion – an undisputed one at that.

By the time that his career came to an end in 2011, Holyfield had earned the title of heavyweight world champion a record four times and was the first boxer to be a cruiserweight world champion and heavyweight world champion.

Now, the next heavyweight world title fight sees the 8/13 Deontay Wilder take on the 13/10 Tyson Fury, who’s looking to become a two-time world heavyweight champion.

 

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

We have entered the final international break of 2018 – thank goodness for that.

Whilst the UEFA Nations League offering punters respite from mundane friendlies, there’s nothing quite like Premier League betting on a Saturday afternoon.

With the 2018/19 Premier League table starting to take shape, we look at a few of the main betting markets available with 888sport.

From top goal scorer odds to the Player of the Year award, let’s get down to the top outright Premier League markets.

Top Goal Scorer Betting

Manchester City striker Sergio Aguero is currently leading the Golden Boot charts with eight goals in 2018/19.

The Argentina man has scored in five of his previous seven league games and he is currently the 5/2 favourite with 888sport to finish as the top goal scorer.

However, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Eden Hazard are hot on his heels with seven goals each – and it would be foolish to write both players off just yet.

Aubameyang is a solid bet at 9/1 while Hazard is arguably the Premier League’s best player and he will see plenty of chances fall his way at Chelsea.

10/1 looks huge based on Hazard’s excursions so far this season. We will get back to the Belgian star later…

Harry Kane and Mohamed Salah, the two primary contenders for the top goal scorer award last season, have both notched six goals through 12 league games.

Kane tends to save his latter stages of the season though and he could be the main danger to Aguero.

Meanwhile, 2017/18 Golden Boot winner Salah is yet to get out of second gear but the Egypt man will take some stopping once he does.

Others to consider: Anthony Martial (33/1) has scored six goals in his last five games and he is an excellent price in Premier League top goal scorer odds.

At 40/1, Callum Wilson is a dark horse. The Bournemouth forward has been central to their attacking success this campaign and it would be foolish to write him off.

Finally, Marko Arnautovic is worth a speculative bet at 50/1. With West Ham starting to show signs of creativity in the final third, Arnautovic may be the main beneficiary.

 

Top Assists Odds

12 weeks into the 2018/19 season and the top assists leader is AFC Bournemouth star Ryan Fraser. The Cherries star has racked up six assists after a bright start to the campaign…

Currently 8/1 in 888sport’s top assists betting odds, Fraser is one of the first names on Eddie Howe’s team sheet and the Bournemouth man should be there or thereabouts.

Manchester City duo Benjamin Mendy and Raheem Sterling come next with five. The former started the season like a house on fire but his form has tailed off slightly in recent weeks.

Meanwhile, Sterling continues to go from strength to strength. A regular under Pep Guardiola, the England man is the current favourite at 7/2.

11 players are stuck on four. The highest profile name on the list is Eden Hazard; Chelsea’s main man has been central to most of their attacking success this campaign.

At 6/1, he is well worth considering. Barring a serious injury, Hazard is going to play most of the 2018/19 Premier League season and he deserves to be in the conversation.

Jose Holebas (40/1) is a decent bet at a longer price. The Watford man is enjoying the best season of his career and the Hornets have been playing some superb football under Javi Gracia.

Available at the same odds is Johann Gudmundsson. The Burnley winger has been directly involved (two goals, four assists) in 50% of their Premier League goals in 2018/19.

 

Player Of The Year Award

This is starting to look like a two-horse race. Eden Hazard and David Silva have been sublime in 2018/19 and the PFA Player of the Year betting odds show both men at the top of the betting.

Hazard is the 2/1 favourite; and with good reason. The Belgian has been directly involved in 11 goals for Chelsea this season and he has been almost unplayable at times.

Maurizio Sarri’s side are still in the hunt for Premier League glory and Hazard’s form in the second half of the campaign will be key to their title aspirations.

David Silva is breathing down his neck at 5/2 though and the Spaniard is enjoying one of the best years of his career. In the absence of Kevin de Bruyne, Silva has stepped up to another level in 2018/19.

With four goals and two assists, he can’t quite match Hazard’s numbers but Silva has made Manchester City tick. He has been a joy to watch for City fans and neutrals alike.

At longer odds, Liverpool defender Virgil van Dijk commands attention at 28/1. Now labelled as the best defender in the Premier League, he could feature prominently if the Reds lift the title.

Raheem Sterling deserves a token mention after his recent form. 25/1 could turn out to be a huge price if he continues to mature and dominate in the final third.

 

Young Player Of The Year Award

Sterling is 25/1 for the main award but the City winger is currently the 2/1 market leader with 888sport to claim the Young Player of the Year accolade.

The England star has improved considering under Pep Guardiola and he is still just 23 years old. Sterling will take some stopping in this particular category…

Fellow City winger Leroy Sane is also in the hunt at 8/1 but Everton midfielder Richarlison carries more appeal at the same price.

The Brazi youngster has adjusted quickly to life at Goodison Park after leaving Watford this summer and he has bagged six Premier League goals already in 2018/19.

James Maddison is blossoming into a household name and the Leicester City man will be an England regular in the near future. Watch this space…

Currently 12/1 for the young player accolade, Maddison could be set for a big money move to one of the Premier League’s top clubs if he continues to impress.

 

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

The UEFA Nations League is like marmite: you either love it or you hate it.

The latest round of international fixtures is here – although England fans will have to wait until Sunday to watch the Three Lions take on Croatia in their League A Group 4 clash.

Gareth Southgate’s men will get a good look at Croatia ahead of that clash though; the 2018 World Cup runners up will host Spain on Thursday evening.

That game features in our 15/1 four-fold, so let’s get down to the best UEFA Nations League betting tips…

THURSDAY

BELGIUM vs Iceland

Belgium put three goals past Iceland just two months ago and Roberto Martinez’s side could run riot on home soil.

17/20 for the 2018 World Cup semi-finalists to score three or more goals is a solid price. When you have the likes of Eden Hazard and Dries Mertens in the squad, anything is possible.

Meanwhile, Iceland have failed to inspire confidence since winning over supporters at the 2016 European Championships in France.

The visitors are bottom of League A Group 2 after conceding 11 goals in three games. From an Iceland perspective, the draw at half-time (39/20) would give them a chance of nicking a positive result.

888sport Nations League odds have Belgium at 43/20 to win with goals at both ends – that could be the way to go. Watch this space, an exciting contest looks likely.

TIP: Belgium to win and both teams to score @ 43/20

PREDICTED SCORE: Belgium 3-1 Iceland (Priced at 19/2 with 888sport)

 

Croatia vs SPAIN

Croatia have suffered a slump since reaching the World Cup final, winning just one of their last five international fixtures. A difficult clash with Spain in Zagreb awaits.

With a tough trip to Wembley ahead, Croatia may go all out to secure three points on home soil. 13/5 is a good price if you fancy Croatia to get the job done.

Spain banged six goals past Croatia in their previous meeting and the visitors will be quietly confident of another convincing victory on Thursday night.

Luis Enrique’s side are two points clear of England at the top of League A Group 4 and Spain will be looking to assert their dominance in the group after losing to the Three Lions in October.

The 6/5 for Spain to score two or more goals represents solid value – that could turn out to be one of the bets of the week. The selection has landed in five of their last six games…

TIP: Over 1.5 Spain goals @ 6/5

PREDICTED SCORE: Croatia 1-2 Spain (Priced at 8/1 with 888sport)

 

FRIDAY

NETHERLANDS vs FRANCE

The Netherlands are heading in the right direction after a difficult spell. Since reaching the 2014 World Cup semi-finals, Holland have really struggled to impose themselves on the international stage.

A 3-0 victory over Germany in their most recent encounter silenced the critics: Holland are back. 39/20 for a home win carries plenty of appeal given their resurgence.

However, France are current world champions for a reason and Didier Deschamps’ side will take some stopping on Friday night. This should be a really exciting game for neutrals…

Les Bleus have the strongest squad in international football and plenty of punters will fancy the visitors to prevail. With five wins in a row against their opponents, France are worth considering.

The safe option is for both teams to score. 8/13 is slightly short but this has all the makings of an entertaining affair and bettors will expect a close contest under the floodlights.

TIP: Both teams to score @ 8/13

PREDICTED SCORE: Netherlands 1-1 France (Priced at 6/1 with 888sport)

 

Wales vs DENMARK

Not the most attractive contest on paper, Wales will be looking to build on last month’s 1-0 win away at the Republic of Ireland.

Ryan Giggs will have his side fired up for this one but Denmark are formidable opponents and this one could get away from Wales if they start slowly – the hosts are slight favourites at 17/10 though.

Denmark have quality in key areas of the pitch and the Danes will be quietly confident ahead of their trip to Cardiff. Back against the visitors at your peril…

Currently two points adrift of Wales having played just two group games, this is the ideal opportunity for Denmark to take control of their own destiny. 4/9 for the visitors to avoid defeat is a solid price.

But the best bet of the lot is over 1.5 goals at 21/50. It might not go down as an all-time classic but there should be goals with so much at stake.

TIP: Over 1.5 match goals @ 21/50

PREDICTED SCORE: Wales 0-2 Denmark (Priced at 11/1 with 888sport)

 

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

The domestic football season has hit another one of its pre-arranged road blocks in the form of an international break.

That leaves us waiting almost two weeks for the resumption of Premier League action at a time when the it felt like the campaign was just hitting its stride.

This time away from the club game is a good opportunity to take a look at the outright Premier League betting markets.

 

Title Winner

Manchester City’s derby day victory has them in to 7/25 to go back-to-back.

Injury to Kevin De Bruyne has not halted their progress and, if anything, Pep Guardiola’s team look even more dominant than before. They have conceded just five goals this season and are averaging three per match of their own.

Wolverhampton Wanderers and Liverpool are the only clubs to have avoided defeat against the reigning champions this season.

A 100-points-plus total looks likely, with very few teams even coming close to taking anything from them. Avoiding a humiliation (which is not all that easy) is all most teams can aim for.

Liverpool are 4/1 to finally lift a Premier League trophy. Performances have dipped slightly of late, but Jurgen Klopp’s side are only two points off City and are picking up points at a title-winning pace.

That’s in most normal seasons, though, not when they are competing with what might be the best club side this country has ever seen.

The midfield conundrum is the biggest threat to Liverpool’s title push. Naby Keita and Fabinho are yet to impact the season significantly, which has seen a lot of minutes for James Milner and Georginio Wijnaldum.

The upside is that Liverpool have only dropped points to top six sides and they remain unbeaten.

Chelsea are the third team supposedly in the ‘race’. The Blues have overachieved so far this season, and a top four finish would be a solid first season for Maurizio Sarri.

Their 20/1 price says it all about their chances. Their consistency of result and performance is not there to build a title challenge with this City side around.

Manchester City are just too good. Guardiola has depth to cope with even a significant injury crisis. Liverpool will keep the pressure on, but City are a level above.

 

Top Four Race

The market suggests the top four is pretty much settled. Chelsea are 1/6, Liverpool 1/40 and Tottenham 1/2.

Those three currently occupy the spots behind Manchester City, though Arsenal are just three points behind their north London rivals.

Chelsea, led by individual genius Eden Hazard, and Liverpool have attracted all the attention of title contenders. Spurs are just a point behind the Blues, despite injury troubles and some underwhelming performances.

Arsenal’s long winning run came to an end, and they have drawn three in a row in the league since. Their 6/4 price is on the short side. Unai Emery has been fortunate that results have been this good so far.

The defence has been up and down, while the attack has relied on some prolific finishing from Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Alexandre Lacazette.

Chelsea are probably the most vulnerable of the current top four. Their reliance on Eden Hazard is unsurprising and obvious, but it’s not just that.

Maurizio Sarri had problems with burnout at Napoli and his rotation in the Europa League has seen a lot of his first teamers clock up unnecessary miles.

A drop off in performances and results for the Blues – especially over Christmas – seems probable. Arsenal, for now at least, are the team in the best position to take advantage of that.

Given expectation and spending, Manchester United deserve at least a token mention. Jose Mourinho’s team are 7/2 to finish in the top four.

It’s worth a bet if you fancy a couple of club meltdowns from the other five. Other than that, there is very little to suggest United can win enough matches to keep it close with the rest of the ‘big six’.

 

Relegation Battle

The relegation battle is set to be tight. Four points separate the bottom eight teams in the league. Victories for Huddersfield, Cardiff and Newcastle of late have changed the dynamic at the bottom of the table once again.

Fulham are the team at risk of being cut adrift. Slavisa Jokanovic’s side started okay, but things have quickly declined.

The west London club are 11/20 to get relegated this term and are on course for by far the worst defensive record in Premier League history. That price is a little short given the quality in the squad, however.

After their heroics last season, it’s a slight surprise to see Burnley in the bottom seven. The back line has leaked goals, and their ability to score off a bizarrely low number of chances has waned.

They are four points ahead of Fulham, but the Clarets are decent value at 6/5 to be playing in the Championship next season.

Southampton have failed to build on their survival last season. Mark Hughes is living on borrowed time and the team is dysfunctional.

Goals are a rare treat for the St. Mary’s faithful and the defence is hardly reliable. Their 4/1 price is a very good one, though a change in manager could mean a change in fortune.

Huddersfield and Cardiff were preseason favourites and they are both odds on to go down. They have had positive moments in recent weeks, but they are short on quality compared to their rivals and that could make all the difference.

This season could require one of the lowest points tallies ever to stay up. The matches the bottom seven play against each other will go a long way to deciding who is safe.

 

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