It might have been an all-action week of football, but there’s still something special about the Saturday 3pms.

Sitting down for Soccer Saturday (or whichever of those shows you watch) and getting frantic updates is a part of a football fans’ routine.

Without further ado, let's take a look at four of the Premier League’s Saturday 3pm kick-offs.

 

Burnley vs AFC BOURNEMOUTH

Burnley’s run of defying all logic and expectations looks to have come to an end. The Clarets have one point from five this season, are out of Europe, and were completely outplayed by Wolves last weekend.

Sean Dyche is facing possibly the biggest test of his managerial career. If he does not adapt, Burnley could be cut adrift.

Bournemouth have already built a handy cushion to the bottom three. Eddie Howe’s side have not had the easier start to the year but have won three of five and have scored as many goals as Arsenal and Tottenham. Their frontline looks hard to stop at the moment.

The Clarets were formidable at home last season. Bournemouth have a tendency for off-days. Despite that, you just cannot look past the form book here. The Cherries should take at least a point from Turf Moor.

TIP: Bournemouth to win or draw @ 4/9

PREDICTED SCORE: Burnley 1-2 Bournemouth (Priced at 17/2 with 888sport)

 

CRYSTAL PALACE vs Newcastle United

It’s quite simple for Crystal Palace. When Wilfried Zaha plays, they’re a mid-table side. When he doesn’t, they’re relegation fodder.

This was proved again away at Huddersfield last time out. Other than Zaha, Palace offered little, but that was okay because Zaha tormented the Terriers all afternoon and scored a beauty.

Wilfried Zaha has now scored eight goals in his last 10 Crystal Palace appearances.

Is he the best Premier League player outside the top six? ?#HUDCRY pic.twitter.com/X7JW8mctmh

— 888sport (@888sport) September 15, 2018

Newcastle’s one point from five matches doesn’t tell the full story. The Magpies have lost four, but they have all been against top six sides and the performances have been okay.

The attack is still limited, but it should improve when freed up a little more for a match like this. Rafa Benitez will probably still be happy with a draw, mind.  This might be decided by a single goal and there’s a good chance it involves Zaha.

TIP: Zaha to score in a Crystal Palace win @ 3/1

PREDICTED SCORE: Palace 1-0 Newcastle (Priced at 23/4 with 888sport)

 

LEICESTER CITY vs Huddersfield Town

It’s been an up and down start to the season for Leicester. Back-to-back wins have been followed by two defeats. The 4-2 loss to Bournemouth last weekend will have caused concern for Claude Puel, who saw his side ripped apart in the first half.

Home defeat to Crystal Palace last Saturday kept Huddersfield in the bottom three. David Wagner’s side are yet to win a league match this season and, if anything, look even shorter of ideas in the final third than they did in 2017/18.

Leicester have conceded nine so far this season, but their defence does not have much to be worried about this weekend.

The hosts are a tough side to predict. It’s been a real mixed bag so far, but the Foxes have the quality to get a win here. Huddersfield are in trouble.

TIP: Leicester City to win @ 3/5

PREDICTED SCORE: Leicester 2-0 Huddersfield (Priced at 6/1 with 888sport)

 

LIVERPOOL vs SOUTHAMPTON

Liverpool are on the highest of highs. They have won their first five league matches and beat PSG with a dramatic stoppage time winner on Tuesday night.

Jurgen Klopp’s side are rolling at the moment. Fatigue is the only thing that could stop them here.

Liverpool have won opening five matches of a top-flight season for the first time in Premier League history.

If you weren't taking them seriously before, you are now.#TOTLIV pic.twitter.com/ArAlpDhWMk

— 888sport (@888sport) September 15, 2018

Southampton’s second half collapse at home to Brighton was as unsurprising as it was poor. Mark Hughes’ sides have a terrible record at holding onto leads. A defence that disorganised could be in for a very long 90 minutes at Anfield, even if Klopp opts to rotate.

Liverpool are strong favourites to make it six wins in six. Anything else would be a massive shock, particularly with how Southampton are playing.

TIP: Over 2.5 goals @ 4/9

PREDICTED SCORE: Liverpool 4-1 Southampton (Priced at 13/1 with 888sport)

 

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

What a week of football it has been. We have had matches every single weekday night, which has helped distract from the nights closing in and the autumnal weather.

European action has been the focus for the past few days, but Premier League football continues this weekend. Saturday’s two televised matches get our attention here...

FULHAM vs WATFORD

Watford have overachieved so far, while Fulham have fallen short after an exciting transfer window.

The Hornets lead the west London club by eight points, despite falling to home defeat to Manchester United last weekend. Javi Gracia’s side were a little unlucky to get anything from the match. Fulham, meanwhile, were thrashed by Manchester City.

Fulham’s only win of the season came against Burnley at Craven Cottage. This is the kind of march that Slavisa Jokanovic’s side really have to win if they are to have a comfortable campaign.

Aleksandar Mitrovic since joining Fulham in February:

League starts: 21
Goals: 15

Incredible stuff. ⚫️⚪️#FULBUR pic.twitter.com/fHssjq0wSl

— 888sport (@888sport) August 26, 2018

Watford won their only away league match so far this season, but that was admittedly against a struggling Burnley side as well.

The hosts have looked a decent side when going forward. Aleksandar Mitrovic has been the player we saw in the Championship, a dominant, powerful striker capable of scoring 15 Premier League goals.

Defensively, though, it’s been pretty bleak. Fulham have the most expected goals against so far and have conceded 12 in five matches. Watford to score over 1.5 is 13/10.

As ever, the midfield will be where this is won, however. Watford have been rock solid in the middle third. Abdoulaye Doucoure has been immense, and Roberto Pereyra has shown the quality that earned him a spell at Juventus.

Fulham have talent of their own in midfield, notably Jean Seri who has shown flashes of brilliance, but they have failed to protect their defence. Pereyra could find a lot of space between the lines.

Goals are the safest bet with Fulham involved. They have the players to outplay Watford, but they have already shown themselves to be unpredictable.

Home advantage tips the scales in Fulham’s favour if you have to pick a winner. It would be hard to argue against a draw, though.

TIP: Over 2.5 goals @ 10/13

PREDICTED SCORE: Fulham 2-2 Watford (Priced at 10/1 with 888sport)

 

BRIGHTON & HOVE ALBION vs Tottenham Hotspur

The mood surrounding these two clubs is quite different.

Brighton are on a high after a come-from-behind 2-2 draw at Southampton on Monday night, while Tottenham are edging towards a mini crisis after three straight defeats, including a complete capitulation at San Siro on Tuesday night.

Mauricio Pochettino is not exactly a man under pressure. He has built up several seasons of credit at Tottenham after all.

His trouble, though, is that his midfield is struggling to assert itself in matches and Harry Kane still looks like a man with cement in his boots.

Kane is simply not shooting enough. The England captain was shooting at least four times per match in recent seasons, but that number is under 2.5 this term.

Brighton were abysmal in the first half of Monday night football, but Chris Hughton worked his magic at half-time and they were a different animal in the second 45. Glenn Murray played hero again for the south coast club.

The Seagulls won’t cause Spurs problems with pressing like Liverpool and Inter did, but Murray provides his own challenges for a Tottenham back line that has looked uncertain. Murray is a solid price at 11/5 to score anytime.

Comeback complete ✔️

Glenn Murray makes it five goals in six league starts for Brighton against Southampton ⚽⚽⚽⚽⚽ pic.twitter.com/tR6OLXQ2Vy

— 888sport (@888sport) September 17, 2018

Tottenham’s troubles at the base of their midfield could also give opportunities for Pascal Gross to influence the match.

Gross played a big role for Hughton’s side last season with a combination of intelligent movement and good decision making. He has a knack for getting into goal scoring positions and is a more than capable provider for Murray.

Brighton lost just four times at home in the league last season. Hughton has his team well-drilled and spirits will be high after Monday’s result. Tottenham are in desperate need of a spark and could be in for a difficult evening on the south coast.  

TIP: Brighton to win or draw @ 11/10

PREDICTED SCORE: Brighton 2-1 Tottenham (Priced at 12/1 with 888sport)

 

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

The Premier League season is five matches in. Four teams are still searching for their first wins of the campaign, while three remain unbeaten, with two of them boasting a 100% record.

It might be barely a month into the campaign, but patterns are already clear. The big boys are pretty much where we expected, and we are already getting a clear idea of how 2018/19 will go for the majority of clubs.

The weekend after an international break can bring some strange football. Here are five things we learned…

Fraser Leads Another Bournemouth Win

Ryan Fraser’s two goals on Saturday set Bournemouth up for third victory of the campaign. The diminutive Scot caused Leicester problems all afternoon, taking his goal tally to three for the season. He scored five league goals in the whole of 2017/18.

September 2008: AFC Bournemouth are in League Two. 

September 2018: AFC Bournemouth are fifth in the Premier League. 

One of football's true success stories.#AFCB pic.twitter.com/X99hlC8yjA

— 888sport (@888sport) September 15, 2018

Eddie Howe’s side have started excellently, and their eight-point cushion to the bottom three could be invaluable later in the year when form is not so stellar.

Fraser, who is still only 24, has played a big role in their strong start. His smart movement and quick feet could catch the eye of a top six club before long.

 

Pellegrini Finally Gets Hammers Formula Right

After four defeats in four, it was beginning to look like Manuel Pellegrini’s West Ham spell could go the way of Frank de Boer’s Crystal Palace tenure. Victory at Everton – and a very good performance – has at least knocked that can down the road.

The chaos in midfield was calmed by a switch to 4-3-3, which provided service for Andriy Yarmolenko, Marko Arnautovic and Felipe Anderson, who were all excellent.

With Jack Wilshere absent for at least six weeks, Pellegrini might have stumbled on a formula to get the best out of his special triumvirate.

 

Eden Hazard Does It Again

Cardiff took the lead at Stamford Bridge and it looked like they might just have a chance of a massive upset.

Eden Hazard, though, had other ideas, bagging his second Premier League hat-trick and putting himself on top of the goal scoring charts. The Belgian has been unstoppable this season.

His partnership with the ever-underrated Olivier Giroud is special, and, as Maurizio Sarri said himself, this could be the year he finally gets the goals that his talent deserves.

 

A Tale Of Woe For Pochettino

It all looked so rosy for Spurs after three wins to start the campaign. Defeat to Watford before the break could have just been a blip, but a dismal performance at home to Liverpool suggests it might have been something more severe.

The midfield was feeble, and Harry Kane continues to look a shadow of himself. It’s not quite crisis time for Tottenham, but Mauricio Pochettino has to address some of the issues.

With each disappointing result, the failure to add a single player in the transfer window looks a greater mistake.

 

Brighton Turn It Around At Saints

Mark Hughes’ sides have a knack for blowing leads. It was a long-running issue at Stoke, and it has been since he took over at Southampton. Leading two-nil at home to Brighton, Southampton should have been in a comfortable position.

Comeback complete ✔️ 

Glenn Murray makes it five goals in six league starts for Brighton against Southampton ⚽⚽⚽⚽⚽ pic.twitter.com/tR6OLXQ2Vy

— 888sport (@888sport) September 17, 2018

It was far from it. Opposing teams are fully aware of Southampton’s tendency to crumble. Brighton, as we saw last season, do not lose belief.

Chris Hughton’s side were a different team in the second half and, thanks to a coolly taken Glenn Murray penalty, pulled it back to draw 2-2.  Saints cannot afford to drop points from a position like that. It looks set to be another year in the bottom six for Hughes’ men.

Snooker remains a hugely popular sport to play, watch and bet on.

Our guide will help you understand the basics of wagering on snooker and how to improve your overall betting on the game.

Outright Snooker Betting

The most popular way of betting on any snooker tournament is to place an outright bet on the outcome. There are a large number of tournaments which take place each year including the World Championships, the UK Championship and the Masters.

This trio is considered to be the sport's big three 'majors' and the events are the most popular from a betting perspective.

These competitions appeal to the average punter as they are all televised on terrestrial channels and it is easy to follow the progress of your bet from the comfort of your own home.

Outright betting is simply predicting the winner of each tournament. Your selection will need to progress through the competition without any slip-ups and be victorious in the final in order for you to collect your winnings.

The player with the shortest odds at the beginning of the event will be priced up as the favourite but it is always advised to look further down the market as the majors can often throw up a number of surprises.

 

What Is An Each-Way Bet?

888Sport offer each-way terms of 1-2 on the majority of tournaments, which would require your chosen player to reach the final in order to secure some sort of return.

If your player reaches the final two but is unable to prevail, you'll be paid 1/2 of the odds. However, if your player is successful, you will receive a full pay-out.

Backing each-way on a tournament acts as a security blanket and if your player is able to progress to the last two, you are likely to make a profit regardless of the outcome.

For example, an outright bet at 20/1 will be paid out at odds of 10/1 should your player fall at the final hurdle.

 

Example Of An Outright Bet

Ronnie O'Sullivan, who recently pulled out of the qualifying rounds for the European Masters, is currently the 4/1 favourite for the 2019 World Championship, which takes place in Sheffield next May.

A £5 bet placed on Ronnie O'Sullivan would return £20 [four multiplied by five] plus the return of your £5 stake if he wins the tournament. £25 return in total.

If the Rocket can only finish second, the odds of 4/1 would be halved and would become 2/1.

 

How To Pick A Player For An Outright Bet

There are many factors to consider when placing an outright bet. Snooker players need to maintain a high level of concentration at all times but many of them suffer from inconsistency throughout the season.

The punishing schedule can often take its toll and it's always advised to look for a player who has enjoyed a relatively quiet build-up period to the tournament.

Some players will actively take a break ahead of the majors and these should be of interest. Any player who has been playing in nearby competitions may also be better prepared as there will be a minimum amount of disruption and upheaval.

Form is a major factor in helping determine the outcome of any snooker tournament. A competitor who has been playing with confidence and winning minor tournaments will stand a better chance of success than the majority of the field.

Players who are making silly mistakes or are routinely losing matches to their rivals will not be in the ideal frame of mind to succeed at the Crucible.

Finally, always check a player's tournament history. For example, Barry Hawkins isn't always the most reliable sort but he routinely gives a good account of himself at the Crucible in Sheffield.

He reached the 2018 semi-final for the fourth time in the last five years and will always put in a decent performance at the World Championships.

By contrast, he has only ever progressed beyond the third round of the UK Championship in one of his last 13 appearances. This makes him a poor value bet at this particular tournament but he is always worth considering in South Yorkshire.

 

How To Place An Outright Bet With 888sport

888Sport has a dedicated snooker page which features all of the upcoming tournaments. Many of the majors will be priced up months in advance and this is a great way of ensuring you are able to snap up the early value.

Simply click on the tournament, then on the name of the player that you would like to bet on. This will be added to your betting slip. If you fancy making your selection an each-way bet, ensure that you tick the appropriate box to confirm this.

Enter your desired stake, click confirm and then sit back and follow the progress of your chosen player. If your player is successful, you will be paid out following the conclusion of the tournament.

 

What Other Snooker Markets Can I Bet On?

There are many different snooker markets available and these can be accessed by clicking on an individual match page.

Session Betting

At bigger tournaments such as the World Championship, each game will be broken up into mini-sessions. These will generally consist of four frames.

A great way of betting on snooker is to simply predict the outcome of the first or second session of the day. There is a limited number of outcomes for each frame - for example: 3-1, 1-3, 2-2, 4-0, 0-4.

Narrowing down the field is a great way of betting and doing your research and finding players who typically make fast starts could be the best method of success in this market.

Handicap Betting

Some games are expected to be one-sided. Top players will be priced at short odds and this can make it difficult to find value. It's difficult to make a profit when backing players at a price of 1/4.

Handicap betting allows punters an opportunity to give one particular player a head start or to predict complete domination by the favourite.

For example, Mark Selby, despite crashing out of the World Open, starts as the favourite for his match with the handicap market has been set at -5.5 frames.

If you bet on this, the Jester from Leicester would be required to win by six clear frames. 11-5, 11-4 and 11-3 would all be winning scores but 11-6 or 11-7 would not.

If you subtract 5.5 from Mark Selby's total frames [11-5.5], it equals 5.5. His opponent scoring five frames or fewer would mean that despite this handicap, Selby still has a higher score and your bet would be a successful one.

Over/Under Frames

This is the ideal market for those who don't wish to make a prediction on the winner of any given match. Betting on the Over/Under market is simply a case of backing the number of frames within a match.

If you feel as though two players are quite closely matched and it could be a tight game, betting on a high number of frames is preferable. If you fear it may be one-sided, opting for a low number of frames is the suggested bet.

In-Play Betting On Snooker

In-play betting has increased in popularity over the past five years and allows users to have a flutter once the action has begun.

If you've missed the start of a match or you simply wish to watch the first couple of frames before making an assessment of the game, in-play betting affords you that opportunity.

How To Bet In-Play

888Sport offer a vast selection of in-play events each day and these can be accessed by clicking on the 'Live Right Now' button which is located on the top right-hand side of the home page.

Scroll down to the live snooker matches and you will find the latest prices located there. These will change regularly throughout the match.

Each match will have numerous options for in-play bettors and you can wager on which player will win the game, the total number of frames or even predicting the correct score. Click on your preferred selection and this will be immediately added to your betting slip.

Once you've added your stake, you're ready to go. In-play bets will often take a little longer to process as it needs time to adjust to any sudden price changes caused by a shift in momentum.

The immediacy of in-play betting is a huge part of its appeal with some shorter-term bets paid out within minutes.

Accumulator Betting

Snooker is ideal for putting together an accumulator bet. At the beginning of tournaments, a number of games will take place each day making it ideal for multiples.

Simply click on 888Sport's Live & Upcoming page which will display all of the latest snooker match betting. Add your selections to your betting slip and then decide on your stake.

All of your selections must win their respective matches in order for your accumulator to be successful. The appeal of these bets is the potential to land huge returns for just a small stake.

Betting on snooker is an incredibly popular past-time and fans of the sport enjoy having a flutter on their favourite players throughout the year. Once you've grasped the basics, it can be a hugely enjoyable and potentially profitable sport to bet on.

Each season, there are new tournaments taking place around the world, increased prize money available and more betting opportunities than ever before. There's never been a better time to start betting on snooker.

Of the great spectacles that football has produced over the years, some of the biggest talking points are the most controversial moments in the sport’s history.

Some have been so shocking that they’ve changed the game. These moments will forever be talking points among fans and those involved with the beautiful game.

Paolo di Canio Pushes The Referee

Just before halftime in the match between Sheffield Wednesday and Arsenal during the 1998 season, a large fracas occurred between many of each team’s stars.

One of those stars was Paolo Di Canio, who has since built a reputation as being both a hot-head and overly passionate. The scrum resulted in referee Paul Alcock showing a red card to Di Canio, who then shoved Alcock to the ground.

To this day, the Italian claims that it wasn’t an aggressive shove, more a sign of disapproval, but it still goes down as part of his fiery legacy.

 

Luis Suarez Bites His THIRD Victim

While he all but single-handedly pulled Liverpool to what was nearly their first Premier League title, Luis Suarez will be best debated for his foul play.

Among other points of controversy, the act of biting has stuck throughout his career as he progressively moved to bigger leagues and bit bigger players.

It started for Ajax when he sunk his teeth into PSV player Otman Bakkal in 2010. Flash forward to 2013, the Uruguayan is an established Premier League star but had to bite Branislav Ivanovic of Chelsea to receive a ten-match ban.

But the most infamous of all, which saw him slapped with a four-month suspension, was his toothy attack on Italian centre-back Giorgio Chiellini during their matchup in the 2014 World Cup.

 

Eric Cantona Kung-Fu Kicks A Fan

In a must-win match for Manchester United away to Crystal Palace, temperatures were reaching boiling point.

Eric Cantona, United’s star player, had been the focal point of the Palace defence and kicked out at Richard Shaw to receive a red card in the 48^th minute.

As the irate Frenchman walked down the touchline to the dressing room, his attention was suddenly turned to one Matthew Simmons.

Reports claim that Simmons had shouted abuse at Cantona, and this resulted in him leaping up the sponsorship board to boot the Crystal Palace fan.

Cantona’s old team are currently at 6/1 to win the Premier League this season.

 

Frank Lampard's World Cup 'goal' in 2010

England and Germany have been football adversaries for decades, with the heat of the last-16 World Cup match in South Africa adding to the rivalry.

With Germany 2-1 up, Frank Lampard dinked a shot from just outside of the box which hit the crossbar, crossed the line, and bounced out. The German goalkeeper, Manuel Neuer, played on as if nothing had happened, and referee Jorge Larrionda bought it.

The goal that never stood forced FIFA to introduce goal-line technology and it definitely wouldn't have occurred at this year's World Cup, as VAR was in full force to iron out any contentious issues.

 

Zinedine Zidane Headbutts Marco Materazzi

Zinedine Zidane was one of the greatest players of his generation and one of the greatest of all-time.

He achieved almost everything as a player and looks to extend his legacy behind the scenes. He’s currently a director at Juventus, who are now at 6/1 to win the Champions League this season.

However, one of his most infamous moments came in his last ever game as a player, in the World Cup final, no less.

After walking past Marco Materazzi, the lanky Italian said something to Zidane to spark a white rage which resulted in the Frenchman turning and powering a mighty headbutt into the chest of Materazzi.

 

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

Formula One history is draped in stories of epic rivalries, great individual performances, and legends.

These five races detail the best F1 races of all-time which include heated rivalries, key moments in the careers of legends, and world-class racing.

1976: Japanese Grand Prix

The 1976 season was one of the most epic in Formula One history. The battle between Niki Lauda and James Hunt was a must-see spectacle at each race.

But, at the German Grand Prix, Lauda was involved in a crash that many presumed had killed him. But the Austrian defied the odds, severe burns, and intake of deadly gases to sit in his Ferrari just three races later.

Fourth, eighth, and third place finishes kept him ahead of James Hunt, who had closed in on Lauda coming into the final race of the season.

The Japanese Grand Prix 1976 witnessed torrential rain which many drivers – including Lauda and Hunt – deemed too dangerous to race in.

Lauda opted to no longer ride his luck and bravely retired on the second lap. Hunt couldn’t help but go into race mode and finished third to take the World Championship by a single point.

The Brit famously said: “In a perfect world, we would have shared the championship… For me, Niki’s decision was the bravest of all.”

 

1985: Portuguese Grand Prix

The 1985 Portuguese Grand Prix marked the birth of a legend. In only his second race for Lotus – having raced his first season for Toleman in 1984 – Ayrton Senna started at the top of the grid and certainly made the most of it.

On a very wet day, he lapped everyone but Michele Alboreto, who finished second by a massive 1:02.978. The Brazilian would finish fourth in the World Championship, but it was the start of something very special.

 

1987: British Grand Prix

Williams-Honda was the dominant force in 1987, which was demonstrated perfectly by the race of Nigel Mansell at the British Grand Prix. He and teammate Nelson Piquet started on the front row, but a technical issue forced Mansell to fall 29 seconds behind Piquet.

En route to catching his teammate, Mansell broke the lap record 11 times and took the lead on the penultimate lap, winning in front of his home fans.

 

2006: Chinese Grand Prix

The 2006 Chinese Grand Prix saw the end of an era with one of the greatest performances from an established legend of the sport. Michael Schumacher put went all out in China to come from sixth to catch up to race leaders Giancarlo Fisichella and Fernando Alonso.

Then, in the 31^st lap, the German overtook the Spaniard and Italian to take the lead. It would be his 91^st and final F1 win of the legendary driver’s career.

 

2018: German Grand Prix

This race propelled Lewis Hamilton to the top of the World Drivers’ Championship and the odds.

He’s currently 3/5 to win the championship to Sebastian Vettel’s 6/5. Troubles in qualifying saw Hamilton start in 14^th while Vettel claimed pole and looked set to extend his eight-point lead in the standings.

Some slick tactics from the Mercedes team and Vettel’s surprise slide into the barriers on lap 52 saw Hamilton shoot up the order and coast to his biggest ever comeback win.

It also marked Mercedes’ first-ever one-two finish on their home circuit with Valtteri Bottas coming in second.

 

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

Some people may still dismiss darts as a 'glorified pub game' but the sport has come a long way since those early days, evolving into a global event over the past couple of decades.

It has been helped by a number of high-profile names such as Phil Taylor, Eric Bristow and Michael Van Gerwen dominating the sport as well as providing plenty of dramatic and memorable moments on the Oche.

The Early Days

There are numerous theories regarding the sport's roots, but its heritage is thought to be linked to archery.

In today's parlance, many still refer to the sport as 'the arrows' and the round target area with various point scoring possibilities suggests that the two activities are intrinsically linked.

Henry VIII, a keen archer, was believed to have been given a set of 'Biscayan darts' by Anne Boleyn; however, the game in its current form wasn't particularly popular until the 1900s.

During the early part of the 20th century, games were restricted to pubs or being played behind closed doors and were witnessed by very few spectators barring a handful of ale-sipping regulars.

The first official event was the 'News of the World Competition', which took place in London towards the end of 1927 and it attracted around 1,000 entries.

It wasn't long until the event expanded and subsidiaries of the competition were held in Yorkshire, Lancashire and Wales. However, the Second World War meant that it was temporarily put on hold at the end of the 1930s.

Upon recommencing in 1947, the tournament was nationalised and continued to be the UK's primary darts competition across the next 40years. It ran continuously until 1990, with Phil Taylor lifting the trophy for the final time at the Aston Villa Leisure Centre.

 

The 1970s

Darts maintained a fairly niche following and remained relatively low-profile throughout the 1950s and although it gained some momentum during the following decade, it was the 1970s that really catapulted it into the limelight.

ITV televised the News of the World Championships for the first time in 1972, which took place at Alexandra Palace. The British Darts Organisation [BDO] was established in 1973 and the sport soon captured the imagination of the public.

TV viewers were attracted to the sport in their droves and this was also reflected in an increase in people taking up the game in their local hostelries.

The BDO worked tirelessly to attract sponsors and broadcasters throughout the decade and 1979 was deemed a breakthrough year for the sport. Eight million viewers watched John Lowe win the Embassy World Professional Darts Championship, which was broadcast on the BBC.

Lowe's 5-0 win helped him become one of the sport's biggest names and he was soon joined by the likes of Jocky Wilson, Alan Evans and the aforementioned Eric Bristow.

Yorkshire Television's Indoor League was another integral part of improving the sport's profile and attracted millions of Northern viewers who were engrossed in the action, which took place at the Leeds Irish Centre.

Sid Waddell was credited with creating the show, which ran until 1979. The Northumbrian went on to become one of the most popular voices on the box and quickly became an established commentator at the World Championships.

 

Televised Darts Events In The 1980s

Whilst the 1970s triggered an exponential growth in popularity, it was the following decade which was considered the 'Golden Age' of televised darts.

Regular cries of 'One Hundred and Eighty' could be heard emanating from TV screens around the country alongside Sid Waddell's regular flights of fancy and suitably colourful descriptions.

Viewers were captivated by the sport and the propensity of these top players to sip their pint in-between throws simply added to the occasion.

The likes of Eric Bristow and Jocky Wilson had clearly defined personalities and suitable nicknames thst further endeared them to their legions of fans.

The Crafty Cockney won three consecutive World Championship titles between 1984 and 1986 and revelled in his wide-boy image. He was one of darts' first household names and also went on to mentor many future stars, including Phil Taylor.

 

BDO World Championships

The BDO World Championships began in 1978, with the first staging of the event being held at a nightclub in Nottingham. It was briefly held in Stoke before taking up residency at Frimley Green in Surrey.

It was the unpredictability of this tournament that attracted huge audiences each year. Keith Deller's 1983 victory over Eric Bristow is still regarded as one of sport's greatest underdog stories.

Paul Lim was also one of the most popular players to feature regularly at the World Championships, with the Singaporean-American hitting the tournament's first-ever perfect nine-darter in 1990 to claim an additional £50,000 in prize money.

 

The Split

After their initial success, the BDO struggled to maintain momentum towards the end of the 1980s and many of the players were reportedly unhappy with the sport's lack of TV coverage.

Darts was going through a barren period and something had to change.

Things came to a head in 1989 with the top sixteen players breaking away from the BDO to form the WDC [World Darts Council], which was eventually renamed the PDC [Professional Darts Corporation].

In 1993, Sky Sports, who were still relatively new to the market, took a chance on a couple of WDC events and signed a deal to screen the World Matchplay and the World Championships.

Sky Sports had been attracting significant audiences for their Premier League coverage and it seemed like a sensible move for the organisation. 24 players competed in the inaugural WDC World Championships.

Meanwhile, the BBC continued their coverage of the BDO version, with Bobby George spearheading a resurgence for the beleaguered governing body. Darts betting fans were truly spoilt for choice.

 

The World Stage

Despite its humble beginnings as a pub game, darts continued to grow in popularity, owing to its myriad of famous names and characters.

In the 1990s and 2000s, there was more TV coverage than ever before and the number of tournaments kept growing, with the Grand Slam of Darts and the UK Open joining the ever-expanding list.

Phil Taylor dominated the sport for many years and became a household name. Although not universally popular on the circuit, the Stoke thrower's ability was never in doubt and he attracted fans around the world.

With the expansion of TV rights, players from Australia, Austria, Belgium and the Netherlands were soon part of the ever-expanding field and the introduction of the World Series of Darts and subsequently the US Open have also tapped into the American market.

The Premier League of Darts is one of the newest additions to the calendar and is one of Sky's most popular sporting events.

Taking place every Thursday night between February and May, the tournament has recently branched out to Rotterdam and Berlin and plans to move further afield are currently being considered.

 

The 2010s

Michael Van Gerwen is the latest name to dominate the game and his success is remarkable considering the amount of travel that is now required.

The Dutchman took a month off in 2017 following the birth of his daughter as he claimed it would have been unsustainable to continue on the circuit with a newborn at home.

Colourful characters such as Peter Wright and Gary Anderson still feature regularly for the PDC, whilst the likes of Glen Durrant continue to compete in BDO events.

Fans are able to access streams and pictures from tournaments online and social media users are also able to keep up to date with their favourite players on a daily basis.

Whilst mainstream TV coverage of darts is fairly infrequent, events such as the Premier League of Darts continue to attract significant audiences and attending one of these events is quite the occasion. Many of the 2018 venues sold over 10,000 tickets and the sport continues to attract above-average figures.

Attending one of these nights is an annual event for darts fans and the World Championships also attracts its fair share of festive revellers in North London. Darts has gone from being a weekend afternoon TV staple to a hugely raucous and fun evening out.

There are more chances than ever before to see your favourite players in the flesh and the sport continues to churn out a number of characters who gain popularity for their antics on the stage.

It has come a long way over the past 40 years but the sport has truly stood the test of time, and with an ever-expanding set of fixtures to attend, it has truly become a global event.

With a fairly uncomplicated set of rules, darts has always prided itself on being fairly accessible to the masses and it continues to go from strength to strength.

The draw for the group stages of the 2018/19 Europa League campaign was made on Friday September 21st 2018.

A total of 48 teams will compete in 12 groups with 24 progressing to the knockout stages. A further 12 teams will drop from the Champions League to make a total of 32 teams in the knockout phase.

Defending champions Atletico Madrid will begin their European campaign in the Champions League but may still feature in the Europa League if they finish third in their group.

The Favourites

It is no surprise that Premier League heavyweights Arsenal and Chelsea are favourites to win the competition.

They are followed by five-time winners Sevilla, German side Bayer Leverkusen and Italian giants AC Milan.

Arsenal

Gunners’ boss Unai Emery has incredible pedigree in this competition having won it three times in a row as boss of Sevilla.

He will look to improve on last season’s performance when former boss Arsene Wenger took the Londoners all the way to the semi-finals.

Chelsea

Chelsea won the tournament in 2013, a year after they lifted the Champions League. However, new technician Maurizio Sarri has yet to land a trophy in his career.

He was accused of prioritising the league over Europe during his spell as Napoli boss so it will be interesting to see how he approaches UEFA’s second-tier competition as coach of the Blues.

Sevilla

Sevilla have won the event a record five times and will be competing for the first time since defeating Liverpool in the 2016 final. Last year, they beat Manchester United to reach the quarter-finals of the Champions League, where they were beaten by Bayern Munich.

New coach Pablo Machín will look to make an impact in his debut European campaign. The Spanish side can be backed at a huge price of 18/1.

Bayer Leverkusen

The German side won the tournament way back in 1988, beating Español on penalties, and also featured in a Champions League final in 2002 where they lost to Real Madrid.

Former striker Heiko Herrlich led them to a sixth-place finish in the Bundesliga last season, level on points with Hoffenheim and Borussia Dortmund who both progressed to the Champions League, with the latter priced up at a hefty 70/1 to claim a second Champions League crown.

AC Milan

The former European giants AC Milan have struggled in recent years. However, they have shown glimpses of a revival under new boss Gennaro Gattuso.

The former club captain won two Champions League medals as a player for the Rossoneri and is part of a new club structure that includes former players Leonardo and Paolo Maldini as sporting director and sporting strategy and development director respectively.

Last season, Milan made it to the last 16 where they fell to Arsenal. They will be hoping to go even further this year and have a reinforced squad at their disposal. It is no surprise they are now among the favourites.

 

The Outsiders

Outside of the main contenders, what other teams are worth keeping an eye on? And which underdogs have the potential to go all the way?

Nine out of the last 15 editions of this tournament have been won by Spanish teams so it is always worth looking in that direction for possible candidates. And since 2009, only teams from the Iberian Peninsula or England have won the competition.

Here are a few teams to watch out for in this year's competition.

Real Betis

Despite a shaky start to their current La Liga campaign, Real Betis are a team to keep an eye on. They were involved in some of the Spanish league’s most thrilling games last season and are a joy to watch when they hit their stride.

Coach Quique Setien likes his teams to play with flair, whoever they are facing. This can result in open and entertaining games with plenty of goals.

They qualified for the competition after finishing sixth in La Liga last season ahead of city rivals Sevilla. They will compete against Dudelange of Luxembourg, AC Milan and Olympiacos in Group F and look well-priced at 5/2 to top the standings.

Villarreal

Villarreal have been regulars in the knockout stages of this competition and have reached three semi-finals since 2004. They have also featured in a Champions League semi-final in 2006 and a quarter-final in 2009.

Their European pedigree could give them an advantage as they seek to emerge from a group containing Rangers, Rapid Vienna and Spartak Moscow. A piece of 30/1 to win the tournament will attract some interest despite the Yellow Submarine’s shaky start to the current league campaign.

Sporting Braga

At the time of the draw for the group stages, Braga were unbeaten in 14 matches, a run which included a 4-0 friendly win over Premier League side Newcastle and draws against Celta de Vigo and Real Betis.

They were also top of the Portuguese league having opened the season with three wins and a draw.

The Arcebispos are led by 39-year-old former player Abel Ferreira, who was promoted from B team coach to first-team coach in 2016. He led them to the knockout phase last year where they were eliminated by finalists Marseilles.

Rangers

Rangers returned to Europe after a five-year absence last term but were dumped out at the qualifying stage.

This year, under the guidance of seasoned European campaigner Steven Gerrard, they navigated their way through the qualifying rounds to reach the group stages.

The Scottish side are unlikely to go all the way on the competition, and the price of 250/1 reflects that, but Gerrard’s experience could see them emerge from a group including Rapid Vienna, Spartak Moscow and Villarreal.

They are currently priced at 2/1 to finish in the top two in Group G.

RB Leipzig

The German side reached the quarter-finals last season where they lost 5-3 on aggregate to Marseille. They won a lot of admirers with their style of play but defensive frailties cost them.

Former coach Ralf Rangnick has taken over for the new season and led them through a successful Europa League qualifying campaign.

The highly-rated technician will hope to get the best out of a squad featuring some new signings and a host of players from their youth set-up.

Eintracht Frankfurt

Last season’s DFB-Pokal winners are one of the dark horses for this season’s Europa League.

Niko Kovač, the man that led them to their first major trophy since 1988, has been poached by Bayern Munich but his replacement, Adi Hütter, arrives with a strong track record having won league titles in Austria, with Red Bull Salzburg; and Switzerland, where he led Young Boys to their first league title since 1986.

He also led Austrian side SV Grödig to their one and only Europa League qualification. The Germans are priced at 17/20 to finish in the top two of Group H.

FC Krasnodar

The Russian Premier League side will feature in their fourth Europa League group stage in the last five year years. They emerged from the group stages on two occasions, their best result a place in the round of 16 in 2016/17.

Billionaire owner Sergei Galitsky has set about creating a team made up of local players who play fast attacking football and he has entrusted young coach, and Krasnodar native, Murad Musayev, to conduct matters from the bench.

The club has a state-of-the-art football academy and a stadium inspired by Rome’s Coliseum. Krasnodar can be backed at 17/20 to finish in the top two of Group J.

 

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

Life as a Nottingham Forest fan is never easy, it seems, and the start of 2018/19 marked the twentieth season of exile from the top flight for the two time European champions.

With the team winning just one of its first five games, Forest were deemed more likely to drop than to go up, and there was a very familiar sense of misery around the City Ground.

That was the case, at least, until the evening of 29 August 2018, when a determined red tide swept away two-time Premier League runners-up Newcastle United in a commanding 3-1 EFL Cup win.

Though the effects of that morale-boosting win may be short-lived, it was a welcome break for all concerned with a so-called ‘sleeping giant’, reminding us all that the romance of domestic cup football is never dead.

Indeed the ‘romance’ was very much alive in these standout examples of EFL Cup shocks, the memories of which were provoked afresh after the big upset of the second round in 2018.

QPR Make History

Queens Park Rangers 3-2 West Bromwich Albion

Also eventual winners of that season’s Third Division trophy, QPR enjoyed a relatively straightforward run to the final.

Only one of QPR’s ties had to go to a replay, when Aldershot came tantalisingly close to scoring an upset of their own against the R’s, holding the Londoners to a 1-1 draw in the second round.

QPR won the replay 2-0, and proceeded to dispatch Swansea, Leicester City, Carlisle United and Birmingham City to set up a dream final against one of the most combative teams in the land.

In front of a packed Wembley, First Division West Bromwich threatened to produce the rugby score expected of them, with two goals from Clive Clark putting the Baggies 2-0 up.

One can only imagine what Alec Stock said to his battered Rangers during the break, but with nothing to lose, they came out a different side.

Roger Morgan got the recovery underway with a goal on 63 minutes, with Rodney Marsh equalising just twelve minutes later. Nine minutes from time, the aptly-named Mark Lazarus dealt the killer blow with a tap-in from a defensive error by Albion.

1967 - The Aftermath

West Brom would go on to defeat Everton in the 1968 FA Cup final through a solitary Jeff Astle goal – and slay a few inner demons in the process. Due to their third-tier status, QPR did not receive nomination for the Inter-Cities Fairs Cup the following season.

That was but a minor disappointment, however, as the Rangers went up yet again, and embarked on the club’s maiden voyage into the English top flight.

Two years later, Swindon Town repeated QPR’s heroics, dispatching an Arsenal team in the First Division. The Robins are still the last English team to win a domestic cup final against an opponent two leagues above.

 

Woe For United In 1991

Manchester United 0-1 Sheffield Wednesday

In 1991, animosities between Manchester United and two of the biggest clubs from the rival county of Yorkshire – namely, Sheffield Wednesday and Leeds United – were re-stoked after years of dormancy.

Against the latter, United would battle to a losing end in their quest for the 1991/92 First Division title. Yet, in February 1991, a shock unfolded at the old Wembley Stadium, when Ron Atkinson’s Second Division Sheffield Wednesday team beat Cup Winners’ Cup winners-to-be Manchester United 1-0.

Perhaps distracted by their own Cup Winners Cup campaign on top of domestic duties, it was a strangely below-par performance from a United team which contained players with talismanic abilities, such as Steve Bruce, Bryan Robson and Mark Hughes.

Having already beaten First Division Chelsea 5-1 on aggregate in the semi-final, there was plenty of precedent for the Owls to do what they did.

As expected, United were dominant for the most part, but lacked real cutting edge in their attacks. Much of Sheffield Wednesday’s ease in soaking up attacks was mostly down to the immense performance of Wednesday captain Nigel Pearson at centre-back.

As vocal and uncompromising then as he is now, it was arguably his finest performance in the Owls’ blue and white. A goal from John Sheridan on 37 minutes was all that was needed to secure the club’s first silverware for five decades.

1991 - The Aftermath

Over the next four years, both clubs would enjoy good fortune.

United famously scooped their first two Premier League titles, while Sheffield Wednesday thrived immediately after going up in 1991, finishing third in the final season of the old First Division, and embarking on a European adventure.

 

Barnes Burns The Devils

Manchester United 0-3 York City

In 1995, United, fourth-favourites to lift the Premier League title before the September international break, was a club in a transitional period, with the Red Devils’ failure to win a trophy that year heralding a change in personnel.

Out went the old guard, making way for younger talents like Paul Scholes, Nicky Butt and the Neville brothers, but it initially looked like a poor call. United lost their first game of 1995/96, 3-1 at Aston Villa, provoking the infamous, defining comment of Alan Hansen’s career in punditry.

Worse was yet to come, however, with Manchester United losing 3-0 at home to York City in the second round of the 1995/96 League Cup. While key players had been rested, there was still no doubting United’s status as odds-on favourites.

The Red Devils were swept apart and thoroughly outplayed, with the goalscoring opened by Paul Barnes after an excellent delivery by Graeme Murty.

In the second half, Barnes won a penalty and converted it to make it 2-0. York took advantage of a shell-shocked United side to add a third through Tony Barras, who headed home a free kick.

1991 - The Aftermath

The second leg, with a full-strength United team, yielded an inconsequential 3-1 defeat for York. The Minstermen immediately went out to QPR in the next round, but they were far from done.

A year later, York knocked out Premier League side Everton 4-3 on aggregate, beating the Toffees 3-2 at Bootham Crescent.

For United, the rest is history. Fergie’s fledgelings grew from their chastening night of shame, going on to overturn a twelve-point deficit in just two months, to lift the Premier League title – and win the FA Cup for good measure.

Within just four years of that humiliation, they became the first English club to win the post-1992 format Champions League.

 

Reds Fail On The Spot

Liverpool 2-2 Northampton Town (Northampton win on penalties)

It is easy to forget that with the exception of 2013/14, the days between the departure of Rafael Benitez in 2010, and the arrival of Jurgen Klopp in 2015, Liverpool FC was one of the most underachieving clubs in Europe.

Today, they are always frontrunners in the EFL Cup odds market. In the autumn of 2010, the financial situation at Anfield became critical before a bailout, and the effect of troubles upstairs reflected in Liverpool’s results of early 2010/11.

Possibly the most humiliating of these was a draw, and a penalty shootout defeat, to a Northampton Town side three divisions below the Reds.

As expected, it was a much weakened Liverpool side that entertained the Cobblers on the evening of 22 September 2010, but all fears initially appeared moot, with Milan Jovanovic scoring on nine minutes to put Liverpool 1-0 up.

The longer the Reds went without a ‘killer’ second, the more tensed up the Anfield faithful became. Those nerves resulted in poor defending on 56 minutes, with Billy McKay firing home to level the scores.

There was a late rally by Liverpool, but to no avail, and so began half an hour of gruelling extra time.

As the more match-ready and experienced team, Northampton continued to defend stoutly and create chances. A young Michael Jacobs put Northampton 2-1 up on 98 minutes, but David N’Gog equalised just four minutes before the end to set up a nerve-wracking penalty shootout.

Liverpool infamously failed to repeat against Northampton in front of 22,000 what they did five years previously against AC Milan in front of millions.

Northampton went through on penalties, and Liverpool were deservedly booed off the pitch.

2010 - The Aftermath

Northampton would proceed no further in the competition, going out after a 3-1 defeat at Portman Road in the next round.

The Cobblers would endure another six years in the bottom tier of the Football League, before gaining promotion to League One in 2016/17 and holding their own.

Actual liquidation excepted, the situation had to go as bad as it could for Liverpool to ring the changes. The Reds looked in danger of relegation for a while, but ultimately finished a respectable sixth – but the good times were not far off returning.

The 2018/19 Champions League group stages are here. Every football fan across Europe will be eagerly anticipating the opening round of matches – and we now less than 48 hours away from kick-off across the continent.

Tuesday’s top tips can be found here but I am going to focus on Wednesday’s action. With both Manchester clubs in action, it could be a successful evening for the English clubs. Here are my thoughts and tips on this week’s fixtures…

Benfica vs BAYERN MUNICH

Benfica are unbeaten in nine competitive matches in 2018/19 and the Portuguese outfit will fancy their chances of an upset on home soil.

Rui Vitoria’s side have scored in 17 of their last 18 home fixtures and that makes the 1/2 for over 0.5 Benfica goals a pretty solid bet. Watch this space, Bayern won’t have everything their own way on Wednesday evening.

Bayern Munich are red hot favourites to prevail in this encounter though – and with good reason. The visitors have won three out of three in the Bundesliga, scoring nine goals in the process.

12/25 is an excellent price considering the array of talent at Niko Kovac’s disposal and the Bavarians should be strong enough to get off to the perfect start in Group E.

TIP: Bayern Munich to win @ 12/25

PREDICTED SCORE: Benfica 1-2 Bayern (Priced at 13/2 with 888sport)

 

MANCHESTER CITY vs Lyon

Pep Guardiola’s side couldn’t have hoped for a better draw if truth be told and the Blues will be quietly confident of topping Group F.

Manchester City were dominant against Fulham on Saturday afternoon without really getting out of second gear – expect another convincing performance here. Take the 27/20 available for a home win with goals at both ends.

Lyon are no slouches in the final third and that is why I fancy the visitors to snatch a goal at the Etihad Stadium. Currently seventh in the Ligue 1 table, Lyon have been hit and miss in the early stages of the campaign but they do create chances.

The visitors are 8/5 to score what could be a consolation goal in the second half; that might be the best way to go.

TIP: Man City to win and both teams to score (Priced at 27/20 with 888sport)

PREDICTED SCORE: Man City 3-1 Lyon (Priced at 17/2 with 888sport)

 

Valencia vs JUVENTUS

Valencia are languishing down in 17^th place in La Liga after failing to win any of their opening four matches of the 2018/19 campaign. European football under the floodlights could give the club a much-needed boost this week…

Those expecting a dull affair should back the 49/50 for Valencia to win or draw. The hosts could nick a goal and that might be enough if Juventus are not at the races offensively.

With Cristiano Ronaldo now off the mark at Juventus Stadium, the Italian champions could start to motor. Massimiliano Allegri’s side have won four out of four in Serie A and it is hard to look past Juve here.

Their record in this competition in recent years is excellent and 17/20 for an away win is arguably the best price of the week. Expect the Old Lady to dominate proceedings in this one.

TIP: Juventus to win @ 17/20

PREDICTED SCORE: Valencia 0-2 Juventus (Priced at 7/1 with 888sport)

 

Young Boys vs MANCHESTER UNITED

Young Boys are something of an unknown quantity at this level and it could get ugly for the hosts if United bring their A-game.

Expected to finish bottom of Group H, Young Boys will be up against it in this contest. The home crowd will be fully behind their side though and they could make a game of it. Don’t expect a miraculous home triumph though…

Jose Mourinho’s men looked solid for the most part against Watford and managed to cope under intense pressure in the dying embers of that clash at Vicarage Road. This has all the look of a pragmatic, slender victory for the Red Devils.

United are 3/4 to emerge victorious in Switzerland and that is a solid price. Given the gulf in class between the two squads, there will be no excuses for the visitors if they fall short.

TIP: Man United to win @ 3/4

PREDICTED SCORE: Young Boys 0-1 Man United (Priced at 5/1 with 888sport)

 

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