The 21st edition of football’s biggest tournament will kick off in Russia on June 14th 2018. The month-long event will see 32 countries do battle in eight groups of four, with the top two teams from each group going through to the knockout stages.

The eight winners of the round of 16 will progress to the quarterfinals and so on until the last two teams go head to head for the ultimate prize at the Luzhniki stadium in Moscow on July 15th.

The 2014 edition of the tournament took place in Brazil and was won by Germany. The reigning champions will start as a joint-favourites alongside Brazil (19/4 with 888sport as of February 9th 2018), with Spain and France not far behind at 6/1 and 7/1, respectively, in the outright winner betting market.

The Draw

Following the global qualification process, the final 32 teams were drawn into eight groups as follows:

• Group A: Russia, Egypt, Uruguay, Saudi Arabia
• Group B: Spain, Portugal, Iran, Morocco
• Group C: France, Denmark, Australia, Peru
• Group D: Argentina, Croatia, Iceland, Nigeria
• Group E: Brazil, Switzerland, Costa Rica, Serbia
• Group F: Germany, Sweden, Mexico, South Korea
• Group G: Belgium, England, Tunisia, Panama
• Group H: Poland, Colombia, Senegal, Japan

How To Bet On The World Cup

Betting on the World Cup gets underway well before the tournament begins. Markets that are available months before a ball has even been kicked include:

• Outright winner: Name the team that will lift the trophy on July 15th.
• Top goalscorer:  Predict which player will top the scoring charts.
• Winner/top scorer double: The two bets above combined into a double.
• Name the finalists: Guess which two teams will contest the final.
• To reach final: Name a team that will at least reach the final.
• To reach quarterfinal: As above but the team only has to feature in the last eight.
• Highest placed team from a certain continent: Select the best Asian, South American, North American, African or European team.
• Group winners: Predict the winner of any of the groups.
• Group dual forecast: Pick the top two (in any order) from any of the groups.
• Group straight forecast: Pick the top two (in the correct order) from any of the groups.
• Winning Group: Name the group that the winning team will come from.
• Winning continent: Predict which continent the winner will come from.
• Nation specials: You can also place bets related to each specific country, such as top scorer or stage of elimination.

You can start betting on these markets right now or you can wait until the tournament begins for an even greater choice. If you have never placed a bet before, you will need to open an 888sport account and deposit some money before you can place a bet.

Top World Cup Betting Tips

Understand the odds

While you may be tempted to start betting immediately, there are a few things to consider. Firstly, the odds may fluctuate up or down before the tournament begins. So, you could get a great price by betting well in advance but you might lose out if the price drifts later on. Or you might find that the price shortens and you got really good value.

There are many reasons why this change in odds might happen. For example, a team that you have backed might lose several top players to injury causing their price to drift.

 

Or a striker might hit some form in the months leading up to the tournament causing their price to shorten. So, the earlier you bet, the more you risk your prediction being affected by such influential factors.

Understanding the odds, and how and why they move, is vital if you are going to find good value bets. You need to look at the whole picture before committing your hard-earned cash to any wager.

Do Your Homework

And that brings us neatly on to our second top World Cup betting tip. If you are planning on betting on the World Cup and you want to give yourself the best chance of winning, you need to keep an eye on the players.

You need to know who is injured (or coming back from injury), who is in form, who is playing on a regular basis for their club and who has a history of transferring their club form on to the international stage.

When it comes to betting, knowledge can count for a lot. So, study the stats, get to know the players and coaches and look at the groups to try and work out who is likely to prevail.

Is there a Group of Death? Or is there a group that looks particularly easy for one team. With so many markets available, there is a good chance that you will find a wager to suit your knowledge as long as you do your homework.

Winning Mentality

On more thing that you might want to consider is team mentality. Some teams have a long history of winning at the highest level, almost to the point where it seems coded into their DNA - Germany are probably the best example of this.

via GIPHY

On the other hand, some teams always seem to under-perform, unable to cope with the pressure of carrying the hopes of a nation on their shoulders while being watched by a billion or more pairs of eyes.

Spain used to be known as serial under-achievers but managed to shake that tag following their Euro 2008 win, while 17/1 shots England still fall into that category of teams that promise so much yet deliver so little.

World Cup Betting Strategies

There are many strategies you can use to bet on the World Cup and you might discover your won as the tournament gets underway. But as always the secret is to find the best value so that when your bets come in, you maximise your return.

During the group stages, you can try to identify which of the weaker teams has the best chance of sneaking into the top two in the group.

In 2014, Chile pipped Spain to second spot in Group B to send the reigning champions packing, while Costa Rica and Uruguay both progressed from Group D at the expense of England and Italy.

And in Group H, unfancied Algeria pipped Russia and South Korea to second place before taking Germany all the way to extra-time in the knockout phase.

Also bear in mind that once the knockout stages begin, the games can get a lot tighter. In the last tournament, five of the eight Round of 16 matches were level after 90 minutes.

What To Avoid

It may be easier said than done but you really should avoid betting with your heart or on a gut feeling. Only back your own nation or your favourite player if the wager is backed up by solid statistics - England fans may be tempted to bet on Harry Kane to win the Golden Boot for example. And most of all, remember to only wager what you can afford.

World Cup Betting Summary

Betting on the World Cup is not always easy. The best teams often prevail and finding good value bets can require a little bit of effort.

But with so many markets available, including in-play wagers, those that take a little time to do their research can enjoy that winning feeling. Just remember to have fun, after all, the World Cup only comes round once every four years!

 

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

The handicap entries were revealed this week for ten of the races that make up a third of The Festival cards.

Singlefarmpayment (Tom George) was beaten a short-head in the Ultima Handicap race last year and bids to go one better on the opening day of The Festival. Dave Pipe has entered the promising novice Ramses De Teille.

The Close Brothers Novices' Handicap which rounds off the first day includes Donald McCain’s leading light Testify.

There are 119 entries for the £100,000 Coral Cup over two miles and five furlongs on Ladies Day, the second day, including the 2016 winner Diamond King trained by Gordon Elliott.

Also entered are Betfair Hurdle runner-up Bleu Et Rouge and recent Sandown Park scorer Topofthegame.

Mitchouka and Casa Tall are the stand out entries for the £80,000 Boodles Fred Winter Juvenile Handicap Hurdle over two miles on Ladies Day.

Previous course winner Thomas Campbell is one of the 52 entries for the £100,000 Pertemps Final Network Handicap Hurdle over three miles on St Patrick's Thursday, March 15^th.

Irish trainer Patrick Kelly has won the last two renewals of the Pertemps Final Network Handicap Hurdle with Mall Dini and Presenting Percy. He will be bidding to complete a three-timer this year with the lightly-raced novice Eagle Lion.

Tully East, a winner at the Festival last March, is among 94 entries for the Brown Advisory & Merriebelle Stable Plate Handicap Chase on the same day.

The Fulke Walwyn Kim Muir Amateur Riders' Handicap Chase has received a total of 77 entries. Pendra (Charlie Longsdon) and Mall Dini, who were second and fifth last year, are entered again.

Mick Jazz, winner of the Ryanair Hurdle for Gordon Elliott, is among 88 in the Randox Health County Handicap Hurdle on March 16^th.

Willie Mullins, who has won taken four of the last eight renewals, has put in 16, including Bleu Et Rouge, Max Dynamite and Sandsend.

Flawless Escape is one of 19 contenders for Gordon Elliott in the Martin Pipe Conditional Jockeys' Handicap Hurdle. Elliott took the spoils last year with Champagne Classic.

Willie Mullins has won the race three times in the last seven years and his 19-strong squad includes Duc Des Genievres and Carter McKay.

The final race of the meeting, the Johnny Henderson Grand Annual Handicap Chase has attracted 65 entries. They include last year's winner, Rock The World trained by Jessica Harrington.

The weights for all the handicaps will be revealed this Wednesday.

 

Gordon Elliott Festival Stable News

Gordon Elliott is in no doubt that Samcro will need to improve to extend his unbeaten record in the Ballymore Novices' Hurdle at Cheltenham.

The six-year-old has won each of his three starts over hurdles and he produced a stunning display in the Deloitte Novice Hurdle at Leopardstown on his latest start.

Even though Samcro is odds-on to score at Cheltenham Elliott is taking nothing for granted.

Speak on Sunday, Elliott said: "He's a nice horse and he has done everything right but still has to keep improving.

"It's a big step up again at Cheltenham. It's the first time he's travelled from Ireland to England to race and that can often be a big ask, too.

"Last year we took Death Duty and thought he'd win, but he never travelled and got very light.

"He's a big laid-back horse, so I don't see it being a problem."

Elliott will be sending over between 30 and 40 to The Festival and his other main hope is Apple’s Jade who will be trying to defend her crown in the OLBG Mares' Hurdle on the opening day.

"Samcro has to improve, whereas Apple's Jade has been there and done it. Hopefully she can do it again," he said.

"She's in great form. Lisa O'Neill rides her out every day and she's like a bull at the moment - she's mad for a run."

Stable star Cause Of Causes will bid for his fourth Festival success in the Glenfarclass Cross-Country chase.

The 10-year-old, owned by JP McManus, won the same race last season, adding to his wins in the National Hunt Chase and the Kim Muir, before going on to finish second in the Grand National at Aintree.

Elliott said: "He's in great form and obviously he's a stable favourite.

"If he could go back and win for a fourth time in Cheltenham, that would mean more than any winner, I suppose.

"He loves a bit of sun on his back and the older he's getting he seems to like a bit better ground.

"Cheltenham and the Grand National have been the plan all year."

Mengli Khan needs to turn improve to get the better of Getabird on this occasion when they meet in the curtain-raising Supreme Novices' Hurdle and Elliott is more hopeful than confident.

He said: "On form I can't see how he can beat Getabird. I was stood at the last in Punchestown the last day and he impressed me the way he went by me to the line.

"A few very shrewd judges tell me he is a lot better going right-handed, so that is the only thing that I'm hoping might help me.

"There'll be three or four of them swinging off the last turn in the Supreme and if my lad gets a clear run he'll be one of them. If he's good from there, we'll see."

You can find all our Cheltenham Festival odds here at 888sport via this link...

 

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

All over the world, bettors are looking for ways to get the best odds for the sports that they want to bet on. While offers and promotions can give a quick boost, many techniques help you to get better odds every time you bet.

If you want to enhance your straight ‘to win’ bet, or just want to add a bit more value to your bets, then this guide will help to open your betting world to the many other odds-enhancing ways in which you can place your stake.

If you’re new to sports betting, or even want a few more tips, then be sure to check out the Ultimate Sport Betting Guide before scrolling down.

Get In The Markets Early

The very best way for you to get the best odds on a favourite for any sporting event is to get into the market early and place a bet before most others.

This is because the initial odds are reflective of oddsmakers' calculations, but as more and more people back the favourite, the odds get shorter. The effect of crowds of people coming in to bet on one option will mean that those late to get some bets down will face shorter odds.

So, while you do risk a late injury or event having an impact on your backed team, if you’re backing the favourite, it’s best to get in early.

When it comes to football, you can usually find domestic league odds at the start of the week in which the game is to be played, but cup and continental competitions see some of their odds go up much sooner.

You can already check out 888sport's Champions League betting markets for the last-16 stage. For example, Manchester City are priced at 2/5 to beat FC Basel whilst reigning champions Real Madrid are 57/50 to beat Paris Saint-Germain - and these games don’t take place until mid-February.

But, you can bet that as more and more people add those favourites to their accumulators or bet on them outright, the odds will get shorter, thus less valuable to late bettors.

Do The Same With Other Sports Too

Other sports find themselves with their headline events sitting with odds well before they’re due to play, or well before the event has even been formally announced.

Take a look at the unconfirmed fights market, Gennady Golovkin is already the 13/25 favourite in his potential rematch with Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez. Their last fight ended in a draw so perhaps the Mexican’s 6/4 odds are worth grabbing before others take their chances on him.

Or, if you saw how the fight went, you’d consider the 13/25 ‘GGG’ odds to be decently weighed right now. Further on, with Anthony Joshua’s next fight almost certainly set to be Joseph Parker, you can get some of Joshua’s best odds yet of 8/13 to beat the newly-reinstated Tyson Fury.

Fury’s been out of the ring since November 2015 and is said to be severly overweight. If Deontay Wilder cannot be lined up after Parker and Fury has returned to the ring with a comeback fight, then Joshua versus Fury may well be on the cards – Joshua’s odds would shrink if that were to be announced.

The best way to get ahead of everyone else, including the bookies, is to be in touch with the sport and receive live news updates. This greatly came in handy in 2016, before the NFL Entry Draft.

On April 14, two weeks before the draft, the Tennessee Titans were set to take the first overall pick, so a defenseman was the favourite to be picked first overall. But, late in the day, the Los Angeles Rams traded for that first overall pick, clearly needing a quarterback.

Just after the trade, the top two quarterbacks in the draft were still at very long odds to go first overall – Carson Wentz at 13/2, Jared Goff at 16/1 – which many NFL fans were able to jump on and use to their full advantage.

Consider The 'Win To Nil' Market

The battle cry of football fans when predicting a score is 2-1, so much so that you can usually predict that someone’s going to say it before they do so.

In any case, the fact that 2-1 is classically the most common score in football means that calling a game to end with a team winning to nil is that much more profitable with the bookies. To add to this, the odds are far more in your favour than you would first presume.

Once 170 games had been played of the 2017-18 Premier League season – 17 games each – a whopping 48% of them finished with a winning side and that winning side keeping a clean sheet.

Given how competitive England's top flight is, that is a strong percentage. Now, of course, some teams have won more games to nil than others, with Crystal Palace being on the losing end of many of those ties at the start of the season, so a bit of research is needed.

Be Specific

You find the greatest odds in sports betting coming by correctly predicting very specific events, often methods and times of scoring.

For example, in the running to the 2013 Super Bowl between the Seattle Seahawks, who were 9/1 to win their conference, and the Denver Broncos, the first score to be a safety was at odds of 50/1 – which came in.

Anything can and does happen in sport, so even the most obscure events at the longest odds sometimes pull through.

A great example of this is in the boxing. A heavy favourite, as Anthony Joshua often is these days, will usually have quite short odds to win in the first few rounds, but after that, the odds stretch out immensely.

Getting into the round betting for a boxing match early and even placing a stake on a few rounds to cover more can greatly enhance your odds when backing a winner.

The Glory Of The Handicap

If you’re looking down the long list and see a team that you want to back, but they’re at such short odds that it’s barely worth backing them, you can always improve those odds by taking a handicap.

You’ll see teams like Manchester City and Barcelona regularly blow teams out of the water with massive score lines, so backing them at a -1 or -2 handicap can often be a good move towards enhancing your odds.

The best sport, and the best league, for utilising the handicap bet, however, is in ice hockey – specifically the NHL. In many ice hockey leagues, including the NHL, if a team is losing by one or two goals in the final minutes of the game, they will pull their goalie to get another skater on the ice.

Sometimes, this results in the team scoring and taking the game to overtime, but a lot of the time, the opposition reclaim the puck and shoot it into the empty net. This season, in the 207 games played in November, 57% saw the victors win by two goals or more – bringing in -1 handicap bets, or higher in many cases.

Why Make One Prediction When You Can Make Two?

Here, we’re not referring to stacking an accumulator, although that can be a good way to boost your odds, we are instead looking mainly at the full time both teams to score bets.

If you can call the result of a game as well as predict that both teams will score, you’ll get odds far greater than backing a simple win bet or draw bet.

At the point in which all Premier League teams were 17 games into the 2017-18 campaign, there had been a total of 74 games in which both teams scored, with only 14 games ending in 0-0 draws to that point. This gives a base rate of 44% of games seeing both teams net.

Accounting for the prevalence of both teams scoring, if you think that your team is going to win the game, but are a bit uncertain about their defence or goalkeeper, then a full-time result and both teams to score bet can be a strong way to improve your odds.

There are so many ways to get even better odds when looking at each sporting event, especially if you know the sport well.

So, if you don’t fancy taking the standard short odds of the favourite, you can always bolster those odds by getting to the market early, calling a win to nil, adding a handicap, or making a double prediction bet.

 

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

Sports betting is not just about who will win and who will lose a particular event. In fact, the outcome of the overall event is completely irrelevant when wagering on many proposition bets such as the yellow and red cards/total bookings markets.

Wagering on yellow and red cards might not seem like an obvious bet choice to new punters, but it is a very popular market amongst more seasoned bettors. This is because the statistics are easy to research, and rules are straightforward.

This gives the bettor more of a sense that they are making an informed decision based on data rather than just going on gut instinct. Of all the stats-friendly markets, betting on cards is one of the easiest for punters to quickly get up to speed on.

Those looking to become knowledgeable about a particular market can easily find stats or keep their own records of cards issued in their league of choice, or even across multiple leagues. By delving deep into these niche markets, it can sometimes be easier to find high-value bets.

So let’s take a closer look at the choices available in the bookings market.

First Bookings

There are several ways in which you can bet on yellow and red cards. The first, and most simple, way is to bet on which team will receive the first booking in the match.

The odds for each team to be booked first are usually quite close to EVENS in this market, while the odds for no booking at all are typically quite high, often as much as 16/1 such is the rarity of this occurrence. You can find all betting odds explained in our handy guide.

A much harder bet to predict is which player will be booked first, but there are plenty of hot-headed characters out there who attract action in this market.

This bet can also be attractive if there is a big derby game involving a player with a feisty reputation. In such a situation, the next bet types could also come into play.

Team To Have A Player Sent Off

Bettors who feel that a particular game might get a bit heated could be tempted to delve into this market. Just predict if a team will have a player sent off at any point in the encounter.

The price you are offered could be affected by many factors such as the team’s reputation, their previous dismissal record and which team they are facing.

A Specific Player To Be Sent Off

Much like the previous bet but you must name the player who you think is going to see red. Certain players are more likely to get sent off than others and certain games can produce more reds than others.

Identifying the teams, players and head-to-head encounters that are more likely to draw a dismissal is the key to finding value in this market.

Of the players still active in the game, Real Madrid’s Sergio Ramos holds the record for the highest number of red cards received with a total of 23 accumulated over a 16 year period.

But remarkably, he has never been sent off while playing for the Spanish national team despite making 149 appearances.

Having said that, Ramos still has a long way to go to match the record of 46 red cards picked up by retired Colombian defensive midfielder Gerardo Bedoya.

The hot-headed former Millonarios and Santa Fe man was once suspended for 15 matches for violent conduct following an incident in the Bogota derby.

Total Booking Points

This market is appealing to regular punters because there is no requirement to predict the exact player or team to which the cards will be issued.

Wagers are simply placed according to the overall number of booking points that will be accumulated in the game.

To bet in this market you need to understand the booking points system. All bookmakers use a points system to allocate values to the cards.

For example, at 888sport, the following point are allocated bookings:

• Yellow card = 10 points
• Red card = 25 points
• Two yellow cards leading to a red = 35 points

This makes it easy for bettors to understand and allows markets to be set at certain benchmarks. Here are a few bets that you may be offered in this market:

• Over 3.5 booking points
• Under 3.5 booking points
• Home team Under 1.5 booking points
• Home team Over 1.5 booking points
• Home team Under 1.5 booking points
• Home team Over 1.5 booking points

So, for the Premier League match between Arsenal and Newcastle in December, 888sport were offering 5/4 for under 3.5 cards and 11/20 for over 3.5 cards.

However, Arsenal were 6/4 to receive over 1.5 points, while Newcastle were 1/2 in the same market, suggesting that visitors were expected to take up more space in the referee's book.

Handicap Cards Betting

Handicap betting on cards works the same as in any other soccer handicap market. The bookmaker will give one side an advantage or head start over the other in order to balance any perceived bias between the two.

A team with a -1 handicap would have to receive one booking point just to draw level with the other team who would start with a +1 handicap. If the first team received two more booking points than the second, the handicap bet would win.

But if they received the same or fewer points, the second team would win. If the first team received one more point, the points would be equal when the handicap is applied resulting in a push result and stakes would be returned.

The push scenario can be avoided with fractional handicaps. So, one team might have a -0.5 handicap and the other a +0.5. In this situation, a push is not possible as one team would always have the edge over the other.

For example, if the first team (-0.5) gets one more card than the second team (+0.5) they would have a half point advantage and would the bet would. But if they have the same or fewer points, they would lose once the handicap is applied.

Crunching The Numbers

You can look at stats to help you make a decision. For example, with 18 games played this season, all of Brighton and Hove Albion’s away matches had produced 3.5 booking points or less, while 77.8% of West Ham’s away games had produced that number or higher.

It is also worth noting that some match referees tend to give out more yellow cards per game than others, while some hand out fewer yellows but are more likely to show red.

These kind of discrepancies can be used to help you make your final decision. So it is important to check which man in black will be taking charge of a game before placing any bets.  

By looking at all the numbers and also considering other factors such as card-happy referees, derby matches etc. sharp punters can make accurate estimations about the total number of booking points in a game.

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

Every bettor in the world, regardless of experience, looks for some kind of edge that they can have over the bookies. Be it from their own back catalogue of sports knowledge, different betting strategies, or through doing some proper research beforehand. We’ll be delving into that latter part here, giving you a form of checklist of areas to research before placing a bet.

Caution In Live Betting

Before delving into the pregame research, it’s important to cover the quick research that should be performed before getting on a live bet. Now and then, when scrolling through the in-play betting section, you’ll see a team that’s both winning and over evens. It’s really important to quickly go to the game page to see if it is really worth betting on.

While live odds are constantly changing, meaning that you may miss out on great odds, you should always do three quick checks: league standing, number of players on the field, time remaining. If they’re all favourable, or just favourable enough, then go ahead and take advantage of those great live odds.

Form Can Be Telling

There are many recordings of form in almost all sports, with each section deserving of your attention. The first is the standard last five form, which will show you the team’s results over the last five games. If they’re in good form and favoured to win the game, then they probably look like a safe option, but the more intricate form records will be more telling.

Home and away form is a huge factor in almost all team sports, and in horse racing, each horse will have raced more at certain venues than others. If second in the league is playing a mid-table club away but haven’t been great away from home in recent times, their odds may not indicate this, but they may still be prone to slipping up on their travels.

Take, for example, Watford vs Manchester United on October 28. Manchester United were 13/25 to win and sat much higher in the league with far more points than Watford, but the Red Devils have lost three of their last four away games, all by one goal, succumbing to the likes of Basel and Huddersfield Town.

Then it’s also important to consider the flip side, which in this case would be Watford, winning two and losing two of their previous four home games, beating Arsenal and West Ham United but losing to Stoke City and Manchester City.

Next is head-to-head historical form. In the ever-changing football landscape, you don’t want to look too far back into the historical head-to-head results between two teams, but the most recent results from the last few seasons can be quite telling.

On December 1, Malaga vs Levante will be battled out in La Liga, with the home and away odds to win the game at 9/10 and 16/5, respectively. Their head-to-head history sees Malaga win the most recent two games, Levante win the two before that, and Malaga win one at the start of 2015. But, if you look at their head-to-head with regards to home and away, Malaga have won four of the last five matchups when at La Rosaleda, thus giving them an edge here.

Form in each competition can also be important as the manager may focus on one over the others, as can history at certain big venues, such as those used for finals. Last season, Jose Mourinho prioritised the Europa League over the Premier League to gain passage to the Champions League, thus making his Manchester United side less favoured in league matches around games in Europe.

Then, to prove venue form, just look at how Tottenham Hotspur continued their historical struggles at Wembley last season.

Away from football to look at the sports which play games with far more frequency – such as the major USA sports leagues of ice hockey, basketball, and baseball – form is even more important as momentum drives the teams through their crowded fixtures lists. Winning streaks and losing streaks become even more important when games are coming in quick succession.

Injuries, Suspension And Managerial Changes

In all sports, injuries and suspensions have a major impact on games. As every player on the field, rink, or court will have an influence on the game and play a role, losing one to injury will change the dynamic of the team. But it’s not just that a team is going to be without a player, it’s who the team are going to replace the player with and the mismatches that the change can create.

So, are there any major injuries or suspensions in the team? If so, how important was that player to scoring or defending, and how apt is their replacement going to be? Take, for example, Kevin De Bruyne at Manchester City. The guy is a wizard on the ball both when it comes to creating goals and scoring them.

At 41/20 to score anytime against Southampton on November 29, he’s a key part of the team and would be sorely missed if he couldn’t play. However, City are stacked with creative players that can change position or come into the starting XI, with the likes of Bernardo Silva, Raheem Sterling, Leroy Sane, and David Silva all in their ranks.

Also, if a player is coming back from a recent injury, possibly sooner than expected, it might be a wise to consider them as not being 100 percent. Being out of action for a couple of months can result in a player needing time to get back into the swing of things, or even those nursing niggling injuries can play below par if they’re not fully fit again.

Managerial changes are always tricky to gauge. Sometimes when a team has been in a slump, as soon as their manager gets sacked, the team suddenly begins to play well – possibly to impress their next boss. Then, when a new manager comes in, it can sometimes take a few games for the team to adjust to the new systems put in place.

It’s always good to be aware of how a new manager likes their team to play and is sometimes just worth leaving teams with new managers off of your bet slip for a week or two so that you can see how they perform.

Surrounding Fixtures

This is quite a similar point to one made in the Form section, but if a team are on the cusp of progressing to the next stage or being annihilated in other competitions, such as the Champions League – which Paris Saint-Germain are currently the 13/4 favourites to win – the manager may rotate their team to give them a better chance of winning in the other competition.

So, it’s always a good idea to check the fixtures list and the team’s standing and upcoming opponent in other competitions.

Players Do The Work

Be it for betting on goal scorers or the winner of the game, the form of key players is important, as well as their history against certain clubs. Take, for example, Manchester United striker Romelu Lukaku.

The big Belgian went on a seven-goal scoring spree in as many games to kick off this Premier League season but then went ice cold and on a four-game goalless streak. But, perhaps predictably, he returned to scoring against Newcastle United, who were his joint-seventh favourite team to score against historically with five goals in eight matchups.

Much like teams having preferred opponents, players do as well. Knowing which clubs certain players, particularly goal scorers, like to prey upon can be very helpful when betting. Lukaku has 11/4 odds to score last in the game against Watford -  as he has done with half of his league goals through 12 games this season –  who he has two goals in four games against historically.

Keep Informed

One of the best tools that a bettor can use is their own knowledge of the game. Watching games in the league, or even just the weekly or nightly highlight shows and flicking through sports news will keep you in-tune with the recent occurrences in the sport which gives you an edge.

Then, if you start to get a gut feeling – which will just be the culmination of your knowledge – about a certain outcome, do some research to shore up your thinking, and then place the bet. Afterall, you’ll be able to see the trends that odds calculators can’t; once again giving you an edge. 

All eyes will be on Wembley Stadium this weekend as Manchester City face Arsenal in the Carabao Cup final.

This competition, otherwise known as the League Cup, has been shunted to one side by England’s top clubs in years gone by but two of the Premier League’s biggest sides will compete in the 2017/18 showpiece.

Pep Guardiola’s men, reeling from the shock FA Cup defeat to Wigan Athletic on Monday night, will be determined to clinch their first piece of silverware and 888sport are opening with City as red-hot favourites at 1/2.

Meanwhile, Arsenal are valued at 19/4 to emerge victorious in 90 minutes whilst the draw is available at 17/5. One thing is for sure; an open and expansive contest looks likely at the home of English football.

Man City Will Want To Send Out A Statement

City have scored two or more goals in four of their previous five fixtures against Arsenal and another high scoring fixture could be on the cards. Currently priced at 11/25 to notch over 1.5 goals during the fixture, Guardiola’s men should create plenty of chances in attack.

Sergio Aguero can bounce back in the best possible way after a troubling week following the defeat to Wigan. The Argentina striker has scored 29 goals in 39 appearances for City so far this season and is a 3/1 chance to open the scoring at Wembley.

Plenty of punters will be expecting City to respond to the doubters in the best possible way here – and that is by putting Arsenal to the sword. The 11/10 for Pep’s side to score in both halves is a decent price considering their offensive prowess, especially if Gabriel Jesus is fit enough to return.

Can Arsenal Score? They Always Score...

Arsene Wenger took the risk of selecting a strong team for their Europa League first leg with Ostersunds FK on Thursday evening but that decision paid off as the Gunners ran riot in a 3-0 away victory. I'm expecting plenty of changes for the return leg this week…

And that will give a few of Arsenal’s key men the chance to rest up ahead of Sunday’s short trip to Wembley. The Gunners, notoriously strong at the home of English football, have an excellent scoring record against City – bagging at least one goal in each of their previous 11 competitive fixtures.

With that in mind, punters should consider the 4/9 for a goal in both halves. Both teams are blessed with powerful offensive units and neutrals are expecting an exciting fixture. The 3/5 on offer for both teams to score in 90 minutes is also worth a look and the 10/1 for Arsenal and City to score in BOTH halves is perhaps long enough to warrant a small wager.

Prediction

I’m struggling to see past City here. Pep’s side had an off day on Monday night – there’s no doubt about it. Whilst some clubs would ponder on that result too much, City will turn their attention to this fixture almost instantly.

Guardiola is hungry to take City to the next level and winning trophies is the best way to do that.

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Wenger will need to come up with a near-perfect game plan to halt this City side in its tracks – Arsenal did it in last year’s FA Cup semi final but expecting another Gunners win here may be foolish.

The 19/10 for City to win and both teams to score is a price well worth taking ahead of Sunday’s contest. 

TOP TIP: Manchester City to win and both teams to score @ 19/10

CORRECT SCORE: Manchester City 3-1 Arsenal @ 10/1

 

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

Sundays following a week of European football are often the ones that genuinely deserve the ‘Super’ tag. This weekend is no different.

We have the Carabao Cup final late on Sunday afternoon to go with two Premier League matches before it, featuring three of the league’s top five teams. Oh, and a fair few superstars in action - check out our thoughts below...

Crystal Palace vs TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR

Tottenham can go into the top four with a draw. Crystal Palace could be in the bottom three again by the time this match kicks off. The Eagles have taken just a pair of points from their last four matches in the league, and are right in the midst of this immensely tight relegation dogfight.

Solid home form will give Roy Hodgson a smidgen of optimism. Only one defeat in 10 at Selhurst Park is something. The trouble is, the former England manager has next to no options. He could have 10 first team absentees, including the talismanic Wilfried Zaha.

Mauricio Pochettino has no injury concerns. Spurs are unbeaten in nine, beating Arsenal and Manchester United and drawing with Liverpool in their last three league matches. This is not the team you want to be facing with a depleted squad, especially when Zaha could have been such a threat on the counter.

Spurs’ away form has not been great though. The north London club have drawn their last five competitive away matches, but that does include the 2-2s at Anfield and Juventus Stadium.

Palace have been a little unfortunate of late, but the continuing poor form of Christian Benteke is a real concern. Alexander Sorloth needs to produce this weekend even with minimal service or the hosts could be relying on a penalty once again.

I think a rested Spurs will win this one pretty comfortably.

TIP: Tottenham to be winning at half-time and full-time @ 23/20

Manchester United vs CHELSEA

The lead-up to this match will be about the barbs fired by Antonio Conte and Jose Mourinho. Remarkably, though, this is not just about two middle-aged men having a childish spat, but there’s an important football match due to take place at Old Trafford on Sunday afternoon.

In theory, Chelsea can overtake Manchester United this weekend. It would take a significant goal difference swing, however, so moving level on points is more likely.

This is a vital period for both clubs, with United seemingly on the wane and Chelsea recovering from their early-2018 blip. Conte’s side were superb against Barcelona in midweek, while Manchester United were typically uninspiring away at Sevilla.

The rumoured difficulties between Mourinho and Paul Pogba continue to loom over the club and it will be interesting to see if the Frenchman did enough off the bench on Wednesday to earn a start.

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United have a very strong home record this term, winning 10 of 13 and conceding just five. Despite that, Mourinho may well return to a back three to matchup with the visitors, and I expect Conte to name one of Alvaro Morata or Olivier Giroud from the start after leaving the centre-forward pair on the bench in midweek.

This is a meeting of two teams going in different directions right now. Just a couple of weeks ago, Conte was the man under the cosh and Chelsea’s season on the verge of crumbling, but at the moment I’d be surprised to see the Blues lose this one.

TIP: Chelsea to win or draw @ 4/6

 

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

This Saturday, Newcastle racecourse will stage the annual running of the Eider Chase which is run over a marathon distance of 4m 1f. The race, which at one point in time was renamed the “Northern National” is regarded by some trainers and owners as the ideal prep race for the actual Grand National at Aintree in just under two months time.

Due to the time of year the race takes place, the conditions more often than not tend to be testing, providing a unique stamina contest for the horses and jockeys alike. Invariably over the years the trends tend to point to about half the field failing to complete the race and on many occasions there are single digit finishers. It isn’t always the prettiest of races to watch for those very reasons.

As recently as 2008 David Pipe saddled Comply Or Die to do the Eider-Grand National double so it just proves that a horse can come out of this race perfectly fine and run an equally good race at Aintree.

Horses entered this weekend that also have a Grand National entry are: Milansbar, Houblon Des Obeaux and Chase The Spud.

Other notable entries include the 2017 Eider Chase runner-up Knockanrawley and 2014 Welsh Grand National winner Emperor’s Choice.

Interesting Runners

The seven-year-old Vinnie Lewis was an easy winner at Plumpton last time out over 3m4f in heavy ground so stepping up to this 4m trip is no forlorn hope. He has taken a 9lb rise for that victory but has had almost 50 days to recover.

Vinnie Lewis recorded an easy win on soft ground at Sedgefield in November before following up on heavy ground at Plumpton last month under Harry Bannister.

His trainer, Harry Whittington, hopes the testing conditions will help his Sussex National winner take another step forward and defy a 23lb rise based on his previous exertions.

The top-weighted Chase The Spud is known for his staying prowess and despite being pulled-up in the Welsh National last time out he was a good winner of the Midlands National last season. Fergal O’Brien’s 10-year-old is one of the few proven distance winners in the field with there being question marks over plenty of the others. Worryingly however he is a massive 19lbs higher than his Midlands National win and 10lbs higher than his Haydock victory in November and this may prove just too much of an anchor off a mark of 149.

Neil King and Bryony Frost will maintain their partnership with Milansbar on Saturday.

The pair teamed up to win the Classic Chase at Warwick last time out when the reinvigorated eleven-year-old galloped his rivals into submission.

Four miles in heavy ground should be perfect and the race looks tailor-made for him. Milansbar has been second in a Midlands National so he should stay out the trip perfectly well.

Despite a 9lb rise and Frost’s claim dropping by 2lb since that January success, the pair look like being major contenders.

West Of The Edge ran over hurdles on his first two outings this season before a career-best effort when three and a half lengths second to the front-running Emperor's Choice at Haydock last time out.

Out of the top class jumps sire Westerner, West Of The Edge is a fantastic jumper and stays all day long. He won the Lincolnshire National in 2015 by sixlengths, forging clear jumping the last and could easily have gone round again. He is now trained by Dr Richard Newland who is hitting top form at the moment.

Themanfrom Minella ground out a hard fought win in the Higos Insurance Services Somerset National at Wincanton last time out, following up on his victory at Warwick.

With just 10st to carry on Saturday he will be hard to ignore but whether he is quite up to the grade remains to be seen.

Baywing is another who looks the type to excel in a race such as this. He plenty of heavy ground form, clocking up a four-time in the mud in his 2015/16 season. He ran well in the Rowland Meyrick at Wetherby on Boxing Day, and probably ran over an inadequate trip at this venue last time out.

Ryan Day takes of 3lb and the nine-year-old should put up a good show for his trainer Nicky Richards.

Sue Smith’s Hainan and Smooth Stepper will prove popular choices on the day with Hainan being of the most interest.

Hainan was last seen when finishing third in the Peter Marsh Chase at Haydock and on that occasion had Yala Enki behind him. Yala Enki subsequently went on to frank that form in the Grand National Trial last Saturday.

Smooth Stepper can handle heavy ground but appears to need plenty of encouragement over a sustained amount of time in these marathon contests.

Verdict

Nine to eleven-year-olds have won eight of the last ten renewals of this race so siding with an older, more experienced horse, could be the key.

Milansbar is having his second lease of life after a spell in the doldrums and his jockey seems to be making all the difference to his wellbeing.

888sport suggests: Milansbar (e/w)

 

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

Europa League football can slip under the radar from time to time but that should not be the case. Europe's secondary competition was brilliant last week, thanks to some great matchups and several of Europe’s biggest sides appearing.

The second legs are, in some places, delicately poised ahead of Thursday night. So let's take a look at some of those second legs in this piece…

Atalanta vs Borussia Dortmund

The last-gasp 3-2 victory at home for Borussia Dortmund puts this tie in the balance. That match was the tie of the round as Michy Batshuayi starred again. Leaving the hostile Dortmund atmosphere, though, Atalanta are far from out of this with two away goals to their name.

The hosts’ 1-1 draw with Fiorentina at the weekend is hardly the perfect springboard coming into this clash. Despite dominating possession, chances were almost non-existent for Atalanta. While Dortmund won away at Monchengladbach, their performance was equally underwhelming. Perhaps that’s just the Europa League impact.

I think this is once again the match to watch. A narrow home win should secure progression for the Italian club, while Dortmund’s defensive issues mean we are unlikely to see them sit deep and try to avoid defeat.

TIP: Over 2.5 goals @ 8/15

Villarreal vs Lyon

Memphis Depay put Lyon in control of this tie with his late goal to make it 3-1 in France. Villarreal still have a fighting chance of progression if they can tighten things up defensively, but they have not kept a clean sheet in over a month.

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Three La Liga matches without a win have put The Yellow Submarine down to sixth. Form at home in the Europa League is not good either. Lyon, though, are on a poor run themselves – they have one point from 12 available in Ligue 1 – and have been leaking goals on the road.

At 2/11 to progress, there’s little value in backing Lyon to simply make it through. I think the circumstances will force both teams to attack, however, which may see a very high-scoring encounter.  

TIP: Over 2.5 goals @ 3/5

Zenit St. Petersburg vs Celtic

Zenit are on the back foot after losing 1-0 in Scotland. Callum McGregor’s late goal puts Brendan Rodgers’ side at 8/13 to progress to the next round despite their poor record away from Celtic Park in European competition.

The hosts have won eight of 10 at home in this competition and did not have the extra challenge of league action at the weekend thanks to the Russian Premier League’s winter break. Goals are a necessity, but they have proven they have the firepower to blow sides away, particularly at home. Celtic's best bet may be to try and defend their slender lead...

They are the joint second-top scorers in the Europa League and have Emiliano Rigoni and Aleksandr Kokorin with five and six goals in the competition respectively. I fancy Zenit (3/5) to win on the night. It’ll be a close call whether it’s good enough to make it into the next round.

TIP: Zenit to win @ 3/5

Lokomotiv Moscow vs Nice

Nice looked to be cruising when they went 2-0 up in the first half-an-hour in the first leg. A red card for Racine Coly and three Lokomotiv Moscow goals have left the club from the south coast of France with a monumental task to qualify.

Lucien Favre must have been half-expecting the second half collapse from his side. Their recent form is awful, with just two Ligue 1 wins in 2018. Pair that with Lokomotiv’s seven-match winning streak and things are looking pretty bleak for the visitors in this contest.

Despite all the talent in this Nice side, I just cannot see them making the next round. It is too big an ask, even with their exciting front three. It’s worth backing them to find the net, but pulling off a turnaround will be a step too far.

TIP: Both teams to score @ 7/10

 

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

This has been a delightful week to be a football fan. That’s what midweek European competition does for those of us who commit hours a day to the game. Amidst the tedium of one-goal matches, we occasionally get a week like this.

The pressure is now on the Saturday matches to keep up those standards. Here are the five 3pm Premier League kick-offs, along with what we should expect…

AFC BOURNEMOUTH vs NEWCASTLE UNITED

Bournemouth sit in 10^th just a couple of wins away from safety on 31 points. It all looked very comfortable before defeat to Huddersfield last time out, but the Cherries are looking over their shoulders again. Meanwhile, Newcastle are just three points behind after a massive 1-0 win over Manchester United.

The hosts are on a good run at home, winning their last three. Newcastle, however, are a tough team to beat. The Magpies have only been defeated by Manchester City in their last seven. It’s tricky to pick a clear winner.

There have been over 2.5 goals in nine of Bournemouth’s last 10. At EVS, that is a decent bet, but I’m going to go for the slightly safer option of both teams to score considering Eddie Howe’s side have not kept a clean sheet at home since November.

TIP: Both teams to score @ 3/4

BRIGHTON & HOVE ALBION vs SWANSEA CITY

Swansea were set to be cut adrift at the bottom of the Premier League. Then the likeable Carlos Carvalhal appeared, worked some magic, and the Swans have the sixth-best record over the last six matches in the league.

The wins over Arsenal and Liverpool grabbed attention, but the Welsh club are now a far more organised unit defensively, conceding only three in their last five. Brighton have been plodding along just as they have all season. Chris Hughton’s side are unbeaten in three and one point above their visitors.

Both of these teams are on course to be safe this season. Hughton and Carvalhal have their sides defending solidly at the moment, which could lead to a turgid affair on the south coast.

TIP: Under 2.5 goals @ 13/25

BURNLEY vs SOUTHAMPTON

Burnley’s decline was inevitable. Their abrupt fall from competition for European places has yet to see them lose seventh-place, despite the Clarets having not won in their last 10 Premier League outings.

Southampton are still in the bottom three, having suffered a setback with defeat to Liverpool last time out, which brought an end to a four-match unbeaten run in the league. Saints are in need of goals from January signing Guido Carrillo.

Drawing with Manchester City in their last match shows Sean Dyche’s side still have that knack for the improbable. Southampton will likely have the vast majority of possession at Turf Moor, but we know that does not bother Burnley. A low-scoring affair beckons.

TIP: Under 2.5 goals @ 12/15

LIVERPOOL vs WEST HAM UNITED

Unsurprisingly, Liverpool have a formidable home record, having not lost at Anfield all season. This match is an opportunity to overtake Manchester United and go into second place, with the Red Devils hosting Chelsea on Sunday.

West Ham have been harder to beat under David Moyes, which has seen them build a four-point cushion to the bottom three. Moyes’ side have the sixth-best record in the league over the last 10 matches, taking 16 points over that period.

Manuel Lanzini is unlikely to feature, but the in-form Marko Arnautovic will give the Hammers hope of a shock. I fancy the visitors to find the net, even though Liverpool will likely still come out comfortable victors.

TIP: Both teams to score @ 22/25

WEST BROMWICH ALBION vs Huddersfield Town

Alan Pardew is on the cusp of losing his job at the Hawthorns. The antics at their warm weather training in Barcelona have the club in turmoil, but their league position may force Pardew to stick with the senior players involved in the infamous taxi incident.

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Daniel Sturridge will miss out with injury for the hosts, who have won just once in their last 25 Premier League matches. Huddersfield notched a crucial 4-1 win over Bournemouth in their last league match. Their form is poor too, though. The Terriers have failed to score in 10 of their last 12 away from home.

Meetings of two out-of-form sides are always hard to call. The Baggies are showing signs of a sinking ship, but Huddersfield have been dire away all year. I think Pardew might just get enough to save his job.

TIP: West Brom to win @ 10/11

 

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