Fixed odds betting terminal gaming: April 2011

Wednesday, 20 April 2011

Ballabriggs Keeps it in the Family

Brig Man: Ballabriggs and Jason Maguire

Donald McCain emulated his father Ginger’s achievements at Aintree this afternoon after winning a brutal edition of the John Smith’s Grand National with 14/1 shot Ballabriggs.

After watching his father saddle four winners of the race during his rags-to-riches training career, McCain Jr had the best possible schooling to prepare a horse for the 4m4f marathon as he proved by nursing Ballabriggs from defeat at Kelso last time to landing today’s

Racing Rallies For Injured Toole

All The Best: Peter Toole

Some of horse racing biggest names have voiced their well wishes for jockey Peter Toole who was severely injured after falling at the first fence aboard Classic Fly in the John Smith’s Maghull Novices’ Chase at Aintree on Saturday.

Toole, who had partnered 30 winners so far this season, is reported to be in a stable condition whilst under an induced coma at the Walton Centre for Neurology in Liverpool as doctors try and reduce the bleeding on the right side of his brain.

The conditional jockey’s employer, Lambourn trainer Charlie Mann, is keeping in close contact with the rider’s parents, who are with him at the hospital.

“The plan now is to give Peter a CT scan before bringing him out of the coma, but if it gets too late today to have the scan, they won’t wake him up because they want him to have a quiet night and he will have it tomorrow,” Mann said.

“We won’t know anymore until the doctors get the results back from the scan.”

Among those saying prayers for Toole was champion jockey Tony McCoy who wrote on Twitter: “Thanks for all the messages about Peter Toole will keep u all posted when we get some news let’s just prey it will be good news.”

Television presenter Nick Luck also tweeted: “Peter Toole in critical condition. Thoughts with him & family.”

Backing Star System Review

Backing Star - Is this a shooting star

Today we begin a review of The Backing Star System, which is a tipping service that delivers selections to bet in the UK racing market. The selections are generally available by 10am in the morning and delivered in two ways: either through the members’ area of the main site by use of a password available to subscribers, and, straight to the inbox of your email address.

Backing Star backs horses in the win and place markets on the Exchanges and recommends 5 different staking plans. You can choose to one or all of the staking places, which use a combination of win bets, place bets, level stakes, percentage stakes and progressive staking strategies. So there should be something for everyone with backing Star.

All information required to place the Backing Star selections is available from the members’ website, so if you forget the rules for applying the tips then they are available at the click of a button. Once you have received the Backing Star selections for the day then the advice is to only make the bet on races of nine runners or less, within one minute of the official race start and where the odds are 4.0 or less. After this it is up to you to select which staking plan you wish to follow. In summary, the staking plans recommended for Backing Star are:

All banks are

Classic Hopes Put to the Test

Double-handed: Abdullah and Cecil

Some of the season’s leading three year olds put their Classic credentials to the test this week, headlined by champion juvenile Frankel’s attempt to make a successful seasonal reappearance in the Greenham Stakes at Newbury on Saturday.

Subject to some sensational gallop reports this winter and an emphatic winner of last season’s Dubai Dewhurst Stakes, Henry Cecil’s charge will be available to back at only very skinny odds with his biggest danger looking likely to be Richard Hannon’s Coventry Stakes victor Strong Suit.

Also among the list of entries for the Group 3 race is Frankel’s stablemate Picture Editor who could also be used as a pacemaker. Teddy Grimthorpe, racing manager to the pair’s owner, Khalid Abdullah, said: “Frankel has a very good cruising pace but you really don’t want a crawl in any trial – the whole idea is to bring him on for a Classic and there wouldn’t be much point in running if it was just a crawl.

“Picture Editor won his maiden at Doncaster nicely and it looked quite a good race at the time. He then bolted up in a three-horse race at Leicester, which was a bit of a non-event, and he worked really well going into the Zetland Stakes but disappointed on the day.

“He has come through the winter quite well and we have quite decent hopes for him. He may well turn up on Saturday in the Greenham Stakes to ensure a good gallop for Frankel.”

Elsewhere, Native Khan has been installed as evens favourite to get back to winning ways in Thursday’s Breeze Up Vendors Craven Stakes at Newmarket.

After winning the Solario Stakes in impressive fashion last summer, Ed Dunlop’s grey colt disappointed behind Casamento in the Racing Post Trophy on ground that was considered too soft.

Dunlop said: ”He’s strengthened nicely and this is a nice starting point. It looks a strong enough race on class rather than numbers. It was a late decision to run here as he’s been working so well and we’re pleasantly surprised that the ground remains fast.”

Also in the six-strong line up is Richard Hannon’s Group 2 winner Libranno.

Turning The Page…

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Fallon Khan’t Ride Native

Scottish Grand National 2011 Preview

Merigo wins the Scottish Grand National

The Scottish Grand National was a good race for Geegeez readers last year, as I confidently selected Merigo from a shortlist of three at 25/1. Merigo won easily, making me and lots of readers a bit happier and a bit wealthier in the process.

Repeating the dose is always a tricky old proposition, but at least we have some decent patterns against which to whittle the field. With only one winner starting shorter than 12/1 in the last decade, it could prove most rewarding… if we can find the right one.

We’ll start by ignoring anything that ran at Aintree last week and anything that is trained in Ireland. Given that the latter statement excludes the progressive guaranteed stayer – and likely race favourite – Chicago Grey, you may think that’s careless.

However, the last favourite to win the Scottish National was Paris Pike in 2000, and the last Irish-trained winner was… I’m not exactly sure, but it looks like more than thirty years ago. There is a slight niggle in my mind that Chicago Grey is trained by an emergent genius training talent in the form of 33-year-old Gordon Elliott, but Cheltenham runners tend not to win this. On balance, I might save on Chicago Grey, but there are too many historical negatives to make him a play.

Eight to ten year olds have won all but two of the last fourteen runnings of the Scottish Grand National, so I’m happy enough to focus on that age group, excluding almost half of the thirty declared runners. Those rejected by the age stat include Ruby Walsh’s mount, The Minack, previous winner Iris de Balme, and the silver medallist from the last two Scottish Nationals, Gone To Lunch.

All of the last eleven winners completed last time out, and finished in the first six in doing so. That counts against Merigo, who was only eighth last time and, despite his excellent record at Ayr – besides the win in this race last year, he has two wins, a second and a third from his four other visits – I’m drawing a line through him.

Also departing at this point are three of the top four in the weights, Neptune Collonges, Blazing Bailey, and Ouzbeck; as well as Gansey and No Panic.

We’re now left with a shortish list of ten, and I’ll strike out Bellflower Boy, who ran yesterday and must surely now be too knackered to win here! So nine remain.

Merigo was the ninth of the last eleven horses to be officially rated between 125 and 145, when winning off 127 in the 2010 Scottish Grand National. A straight interpretation of that range expels Cold Mountain (just, rated 124), and Beshabar (just, rated 146), as well as Bellflower Boy (121) again and Chicago Grey (151) again.

It seems punitive and even somewhat arbitrary to remove those two on the basis of a pound either way, so if I can’t find another reason why they can be ignored, I will reinstate them.

Jumping is a core attribute, as it is with all Nationals, simply because there are so many bloody fences! Specifically, only one of the last eleven winners of the races had either fallen or unseated rider more than once in their previous careers.

Minella Four Star has fallen three times, and Heez A Steel has come down twice, as have Neptune Equester and Cold Mountain. Those four are passed over, leaving a quintet on the shortlist, as follows:

Beshabar, Fair Along, Always Right, Poker De Sivola, and Regal Heights.

Ten of the last eleven winners were three mile-plus winners, and Joes Edge, the exception was second over 3m1f, so stamina is obviously a must for this four mile contest. All of our five have demonstrated the required level of staying power, so that doesn’t help, but all recent winners had run between three and six times that season. Poker De Sivola may not quite be at concert pitch after just two seasonal runs, one of them in a ‘beach’ bumper at Southwell during the cold snap.

That leaves four, in fact three as Fair Along is a non-runner, and if you don’t want to dutch the trio (i.e. back them all), then my final thoughts on each are below:

Beshabar (7/1) – second to Chicago Grey in the Cheltenham four miler on only his fourth start over fences. Less experienced than any recent winner. Wins on flat tracks at Ascot and Doncaster give him a chance here, but 7/1 in a field of 30 is hardly mouth-watering value.

Always Right (9/1) – another lightly raced contender, he’s had seven chase outings and won four of them (was 2nd on another run). Did fall here in a hunter chase back in 2009, and just might not be so good in this bigger field (only poor run was when 11th in the Foxhunters at Cheltenham).

Regal Heights (33/1) – flat track specialist with all eight wins coming on level playing fields. He’s exposed, but is in form, goes on most ground (might ideally like it a tad softer), and has won here in the past albeit over hurdles.

If my hand was forced, I’d probably go with Regal Heights who has plenty of value each way (find a bookie who is paying first five).

Finally, a couple of trends busters might be last season’s silver and bronze medalists, Gone To Lunch (25/1, in the frame last two years) and No Panic (loves fast ground and flat tracks and races up with the pace). The 66/1 about No Panic from the in-form Peter Bowen yard will find its way onto one of my slips as well.

Geegeez on the mark in National

Matt's Moment: Beshabar wins the Scottish National

Beshabar put in a gutsy front-running display to land Ayr’s Scottish National today and gave followers of Geegeez‘s Matt Bisgono something to shout about.

Tipped for glory in Matt’s ‘Scottish Grand National 2011 Preview’ (along with third placed Always Right), backers of Tim Vaughan’s chesnut never had a moment’s worry as the gelding took up the lead after a couple of fences and had most of the field struggling turning for home.

The win was a first National of the Scotch kind for jockey Richard Johnson at the 14th attempt, he said: “He jumped really well and enjoyed himself and I enjoyed myself as well. It’s great to win this race for the first time.

“He’s very tough and every time

Spanish Duo set the pace in Champions League Odds after Quarter Final First Legs

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What amazing outcomes in the first legs of the 2011 Champions League Quarter Finals this week with three of the four ties effectively already decided? The results ahead of next week’s second legs were:

Inter Milan 2-5 Schalke04
Real Madrid 4-0 Spurs
Barcelona 5-1 Shakhtar Donetsk
Chelsea 0-1 Man Utd

Only the all Premier League tie between Chelsea and Man Utd remains in the balance but it has to be said that United hold all the keys, with the next leg being at Old Trafford and having a 1-0 advantage after putting up an extremely professional performance at Stamford Bridge. That said Chelsea were the last team to beat United at Old Trafford and know that if they up their performance levels from what they showed in the first leg, then, if nothing else they have a chance.

The Quarter Final results have all but set up a mouth watering

Real good, but still not good enough

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The pundits in Madrid are going to be slobbering over a performance that saw Tottenham Hotspur put to the sword brutally for some time to come, but those who are not quite as enamoured with Real Madrid watched their game against Spurs in the knowledge that they failed to show a complete game that could help them defeat the likes of Barcelona or Manchester United in the future, with both of those sides far stronger defensively than Spurs were last night and who both have an immense counter-attacking unit that they could unleash against a defensively weak Real side that looked vulnerable at times even against the ten men of Spurs.

Sure, they have the offensive capabilities to really go for it when they have possession but they lack the defensive strength to show themselves to have the characteristics that previous Mourinho sides have displayed when they have gone all the way and won the Champions League. However, although they lack this, they may benefit from the fact that they will have the chance to face their greatest threat in the competition in the next round, rather than the final, as their likely opponents look to be Barcelona. However, before this can happen, they will surely see their defensive capabilities tested thoroughly by Spurs at the Lane as they look to play with no fear and with nothing to lose against Real. The Champions League betting odds suggest it could be an interesting game.

If they can progress as they are widely expected to, then they will subsequently need to show that they are good enough to beat Barcelona over two legs. Then, and only then, can the players hope to show Mourinho that they are good enough physically and mentally to go all the way to Wembley and pick up the Champions League trophy, making history for Mourinho in the process.

English Premier League Soccer – Manchester United v. Fulham

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Torres once again fails to fire

50million price tag with another ineffectual display for Chelsea, in their 1-0 Champions League loss to Manchester United this week. The striker was chosen to partner Didier Drogba in a two-pronged attack which rarely threatened the United defence, and Torres once again looked a shadow of his former self.

His frustration was evident in the two blatant dives the Spaniard performed in hopes of winning a penalty for his team, and hiding the fact that he’s currently being out-paced by defenders with relative ease. The Champions League betting tips now suggest his side could be in real trouble.

After yet another uninspiring performance from the Spaniard, Ancelotti will come under pressure to change his tactics for next week’s crunch return leg at Old Trafford. Torres and Drogba never looked in sync in the narrow defeat and it would seem unlikely that the Italian will go with the partnership again on Tuesday.

It would look as though the only option to the Chelsea boss would be to go with the tried and tested lone striker and two attacking wide men. On current form it would be hard to imagine Torres filling that role as the lone front-man, and Drogba could be handed the job and the Champions League predications reflect this.

Former Chelsea assistant boss Ray Wilkins is certainly clear in his agreement that the 4-4-2 system didn’t work. The ex England international expects Ancelotti to revert to the three front-men, with Torres missing out.

“I would play Didier up top on his own, with (Florent) Malouda on the left and either Nicolas Anelka or Salomon Kalou on the right,” he said.

Sunderland’s season hinges on defensive frailties

Tuesday, 19 April 2011

UEFA Champions League – Tottenham Hotspur v. Real Madrid

Sunderland boss having defensive nightmares

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Steve Bruce has stated he wants his Sunderland side to improve defensively if they want to avoid Premier League relegation, but injuries to key players from his back four is not helping the cause.

The Black Cats have struggled in recent weeks and have only kept one clean sheet since the turn of the year and as anyone who follows the football betting will know it’s hard to win games when you’re shipping goals.

As a result Sunderland have dropped down the table and, after their loss to West Brom at the weekend, they are now only six points above the Premier League relegation places.

Sunderland had 11 clean sheets prior to the start of 2011 and Bruce claims it is “easy to see where the problem lies” at this point in time, and his eyes are firmly rooted on his defenders.

What is not helping is defenders succumbing to injuries, with John Mensah the latest to be hit. The Ghana international tore a groin muscle in the West Brom game and looks to be out for at least three weeks.

With Anton Ferdinand also limping off, and Titus Bramble still out with injury, it means Bruce has a shortage of defenders going into their relegation six-pointer with Birmingham at the weekend and the Premier League betting offers suggest the game will be crucial to both sides’ futures.

The boss told the Shields Gazette: “If you look at the stats, we’ve conceded almost as many goals in the last eight games as we did in the rest of the season put together.

“That’s not good enough, and we have to put it right. We have to go back to basics and return to the way we were playing earlier on in the season.”

At least Bruce is seeing his forward options returning to fitness, with Danny Welbeck back and Fraizer Campbell close to returning after a long injury lay-off.

These two can take some pressure off Asamoah Gyan and hopefully get the goals to ensure Sunderland do not get sucked deeper into a Premier League relegation dogfight over the coming weeks.

Can United enjoy a weekend off from the Premier League?

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Manchester United don’t often seem to possess a great deal of fear or anxiety when it comes to performing under pressure, but it’s pretty easy to imagine that the Red Devils will be looking forward to a weekend during which they get the chance to watch their title rivals fight on in the league rather than having to go out on the pitch and ensure that they get a result or else risk seeing their lead slip and their rivals gain more and more confidence in their quest to win the Premier League.

However, although United may well worry that their main title rivals Arsenal are going to catch up with them and get closer to the league lead this weekend, the players also know that Arsenal’s game on Sunday against Liverpool is nothing even remotely close to a formality, and the chances are that they could still see their lead intact, and with Arsenal having wasted their game in hand over their rivals. The Premier League odds certainly suggest this could happen.

Despite this, United could well find themselves sitting there on Sunday evening having crashed out of the FA Cup and feeling anxious about how the Premier League title race is going to pan out should results go against them. Add to this potential equation the fact that United also have at least two Champions League games left to play and you can understand why Sir Alex Ferguson’s squad is about to be tested to the absolute limit. The football betting tips reflect this.

Ultimately, although a few players in the United squad will surely be about to see their mental resolve tested, if any one man can lead those under his control to glory despite immense pressure and expectations in all competitions, it’s Sir Alex.

Barcelona Still Clear Champions League Betting Odds Favourites Ahead Of Man Utd

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It has taken a massive effort to knock Barcelona out of the Champions League in the last few years, over the past three years Barcelona have either won the Champions League or gone out to the eventual winners and so far they are looking good to continue that record.

Barcelona face Real Madrid in what could be the most exciting Champions League Semi Final in years and there is no surprise that it is once again Barcelona who are favourites to progress as they are the favourites to win the entire tournament. Barcelona are just even money with most bookies to win the Champions League, the fact that Real Madrid have been drawn against the favourites means they are now only the third most likely winners in the Champions League odds at around 10/3.

Progress in this semi final still won’t guarantee Champions League victory so a bet on either team to qualify for the final will offer a better bet for some punters, Barcelona are just 1/2 to progress in this tie whilst Real Madrid, who secured their place in the Semi Final by beating Tottenham twice, are 15/8 to reach the Champions League Final at Wembley this season.

It looks as though there could be English representation in this year’s Wembley Final, Man Utd who are the only remaining English team in the competition after they beat Chelsea in both legs of their Quarter Final, have been handed a favourable tie against Schalke who have been the surprise package in this year’s competition. Man Utd are now second favourites to win the Champions League and can be backed at 5/2 to win the tournament, Schalke are very unfancied despite their great results against Inter Milan in the Quarter Finals, Schalke can be backed at 14/1 to pull of a majot shock by winning the Champions League.

It is therefore no surprise that Man Utd are major favourites to reach the final, they can be backed at just 2/7 to progress against Schalke and should be a good bet to win both legs of the Semi Final whilst those who aren’t fans of Man Utd this season will get big odds on Schalke reaching the Champions League Final, the Germans are 11/4 to make it through.

The Champions League Semi Final First Legs take place in the last week of April. You can keep up to date on the latest Champions League odds and tips from the experts at OLBG.co.uk.

English Premier League Soccer – Blackpool v. Wigan Athletic

Irish Slots Promo With Crown

To celebrate St. Paddy’s Day, Crown Bingo have a fab promotion on offer for all you lovers of slot games. Celebrate St Patrick’s Day with Crown Bingo between the 16th-22nd March by playing on their Irish slots and you will receive a fantastic 17% Cashback!!

And getting some extra cash in your poacket couldn’t be easier…simply enter the bonus code PADDY17 in the lobby and then start playing on either Clover Rollover or Clover Countdown!! Once you have staked over

Midnight Misses National For Totesport Bowl

Neil Mulholland’s fine chaser Midnight Chase will not take his chance in next month’s John Smith’s Grand National at Aintree on April 9 and will instead be targeted at the Grade 1 Totesport Bowl earlier in the meeting, writes Elliot Slater.

The nine-year-old, one of the most improved horses in training this season, ran a cracker to be a staying-on fifth behind Long Run in last week’s stunning Totesport Cheltenham Gold Cup, having won his three previous outings this term at the Prestbury track. Prominent throughout the first half of the contest, the son of Midnight Legend lost his pitch after 5 out and for a while looked as though he might tail-off, but he rallied bravely from the third last and was keeping on well again up the Cheltenham hill to come home fifth, beaten 19 lengths, in a race that was run in course record time and is already regarded as one of the greatest of the modern era.

Stamina for a race such at the Aintree marathon would appear no problem for the Lady Clarke-owned gelding and the Grand National betting odds reflected this. But after giving the matter plenty of thought connections have decided to wait until next year to go for the Grand National and to concentrate this term on the Grade 1 contest where they could potentially be up against the mighty Long Run once again.

Midnight Chase, who had been on offer at up to 33/1 for the big race, is reported to have recovered quickly from his exertions and the horse racing odds suggest he should go well in the Totesport Bowl.

Mulholland’s reasoning in waiting another 12 months to bid for the ‘world’s greatest steeplechase’ is that his charge is only a second season chaser and he believes that another season’s experience will stand Midnight Chase in excellent stead to put up a very big performance next year.

Tags: grand national 2011, midnight chase grand national, midnight chase horseShare

Can Tiger Roar Again?

He’s had a tough time of it in the last couple of years, what with cheating on his wife every spare chance he got, being publicly ridiculed, being dropped from sponsors, getting divorced and generally having his squeaky clean image tarnished in front of the world.

And adding insult to injury, he’s also been playing poorly. But, the Arnold Palmer Invitational may just be the ticket to see Tiger Woods back to his winning ways, he hopes!

All the top guys are going to be there so competition is fierce but Tiger could be about to get his 7th win in the tournament confounding his critics who say he’s just not up to par yet. The tournament, held at Arnold Palmer’s Bay Hill Club & Lodge in Orlando, Florida is in full swing with bookmaker odds changing all the time. Rickie Fowler, Lee Janzen and John Senden lead the pack but odds on Tiger just keep getting shorter. Paddy Power Bookmakers are offering 7/1 on him and seeing as they will pay out on places 1, 2, 3 and 4 this could be a very good each-way bet.

One things for sure though, with the US Masters 2011 only around the corner a lot of guys have a lot to prove if they want to stay in contention for the big prize later this year!

Red Nose Day Bingo

Jackpot Joy Bingo are offering you the chance to support Red Nose Day 2011 every time you buy a ticket for their game. Jackpot Joy Bingo are supporting the charity this year by donating 1p from every 10p ticket sold and the money raised will be used by Comic Relief to fund it’s projects in the U.K. and internationally.

In 1988 the first Red Nose Day raised

Big Tote Winner ~ £1.4 Million

1.4m at Exeter on Tuesday.

Mr Whitely had taken advantage of a free promotional entry ticket and arrived at the course by public transport . Intending to have a some small bets and a few drinks with some friends,die hard gamblers would have been dismayed at his ‘method’ of random selection.

Despite odds of 368,639 – 1 he managed to pick all six winners. His selection for the last race was Lupita at 12-1 it looked unlikely she could win however in the last furlong she passed ‘Only Hope’ and created an instant millionaire. The four leaf clover he had taken with him certainly came in handy.

Mr Whitely from Devon admitted he was “shaking like a leaf” during the last race when he realised he had the only qualifying ticket left. Since the win his life has certainly changed , already he has been inundated with requests for interviews and photographs. Partner, Jill, who had received no birthday present from him wisely said “you cant stay mad at a millionaire for long”.

Off on a pre planned holiday to Australia next week

High Class National On The Cards For 2011

The quality of the 2011 Grand National field could be one of the strongest of all time.

Champion National Hunt trainer Paul Nicholls has already stated that his Cheltenham Gold Cup fourth What A Friend will take his place in the four and a-half-mile handicap chase. Now, leading Northern trainer Howard Johnson has announced that he will allow Gold Cup sixth Tidal Bay to take his chance in the showpiece event.

Tidal Bay is a horse with bundles of class; he can boast an Arkle Chase success at Cheltenham amongst his record of achievement. He also went on to win a Grade One novice chase at Aintree after his Festival success and he has run a number of good races at Aintree over the past few years and anyone looking for Grand National betting tips should bear him in mind.

Tidal Bay seems to relish a test of stamina these days and the extra distance he will face in the National will be right up his street. The ten-year-old had been gaining a reputation as becoming quite quirky and tricky, but he has seemingly turned the corner since being partnered by jockey Brian Hughes and if he takes to the demands that the National fences offer he could give his young jockey a real thrill.

Tidal Bay has some serious class when he puts his mind to it and in terms of natural ability he had everything you would look for in a Grand National winner. If he happens to click on the day he will not be far away, with his powerful finishing burst he’ll relish the long run-in if he’s in contention.

Tags: 2011 Grand National, grand national horses, tidal bay horseShare

Flat Trainers To Follow In 2011

Cheltenham’s passing starts to bring thoughts towards the Flat even though we still have two major Festivals at Aintree and Punchestown yet to take place in the National Hunt sphere and those following Paul Nicholls Denman will probably get to see him run one more race this season. But it’s always good to do some forward planning and here are three trainers to follow on the flat this year.

We’ll kick off with a man who is entering his 42nd year in the profession and one who is enjoying a fantastic renaissance which has brought pleasure to all who racing fans

April Fools Bingo

Mecca Bingo have ramped up the promotions for April and are offering all of the customers April Fool’s Bingo which is sure to make your bingo even more exciting than usual.

You can expect lots of fun from 6pm to 11pm on the 1st of April as they are mixing up the prize board in one room with random 1 line, 2 line and Full House payouts. So winning 1 line might be a better prize than winning the full house!

They will also have chat games with a twist, as they will not announce how much they can win for the chat game. Prizes will be between 10p and

The Thrills Of The York Ebor Meeting

The Ebor is probably one of if not the best known race run at York in their whole season. Traditionally the race has been run on the Wednesday of the Ebor Meeting but with the changes that are taking place with the scheduling of that fixture, the race will now take place on a Saturday to bring the Ebor meeting to a climax and give punters and racegoers alike a tricky puzzle to solve and those looking at the York races betting should remember this.

First run in 1843, the handicap sponsored by Totesport is the richest of its type in Europe with last year’s winner

US Masters 2011 Odds

It all tee’s off this Thursday, April 7th 2011 in Augusta Georgia where the world’s best golfers will battle it out over four days to earn the right to slip their arms into the most coveted green jacket in the world.

All the big names will be out in force – Tiger Woods, Lee Westwood, Phil Mickelson, Dustin Johnson and Rory Mcilroy to name but a few. With nearly 100 golfers in action the odds are just as varied and range from as short as 13/2 for Phil Mickelson, who is looking for his fourth win in seven years, right the way through to 1000/1 for Craig Stadler.

Only five Europeans have won the US Masters in the last 20 years and, in fact, you have to go back to 1999 for the last one – José María Olazábal from Spain. And despite his earlier airplane scare, Lee Westwood looks very good to threaten to bring the title back home this year.

If he does, he’ll be the first English golfer to win since Nick Faldo in 1996! He’s currently at around 16/1 with Justin Rose and Paul Casey both around the 35/1 odds.

Paddy Power Bookmakers are offering an incredible payout to 6 places so your each-way bet will go a long way there.

Tags: golf odds, latest US masters odds, Lee Westwood odds, US Master 2011 Odds, us masters 2011Share

Spurs Champion League Odds

For the first time in their club’s history, Tottenham Hotspurs are in the quarter final of the Champions League and there opposition is none other than Real Madrid! To make matters even more tricky, Ronaldo has been cleared to play and will line-up with the rest of his team mates as they set up to upset the Spurs party.

An upbeat Tottenham manager Harry Redknapp says his side are “very confident and very optimistic they can do the job”. He said, “I don’t feel pressure. No-one expected us to be here at here at the start of the season and we have a big chance of winning, we’re not just coming here to turn up, we want to keep progressing.”

So far Tottenham have enjoyed a dream first season in Europe’s elite competition, coming top of their group which included holders Inter Milan, Werder Bremen and FC Twente, and then knocking out AC Milan without conceding a goal over two legs and with Gareth bale back from injury and all fired up, Spurs should be ready to put up the fit of their lives if they want to see off Real and head through to the semi-final!

Tags: champion league 2011 odds, football odds, , spurs odds, spurs v real madrid oddsShare

Aintree Festival 2011

All eyes are now turned towards Aintree as the Festival fast approaches. This year promises to be a fabulous three day event which includes something for everyone. Whether you are a trainer or jockey, worrying if your horse will perform on the day or one of the Ladies who has entered the Style contest, wondering if your outfit will impress the judges, anticipation is now high. There is already some controversy surrounding the ‘Ladies’ who might be present this year, more of which later!

Thursday 7th April. Liverpool Day – The opening day of the Festival will be graced by the well known ‘Squire of Knotty Ash’ Mr Ken Dodd. Ken who says he attended his first Aintree some seventy years ago at the tender age of thirteen remembers backing Lovely Cottage, the winner in 1946. In his opinion The Grand National is “the greatest race in the world” he also added “It’s not just a race – it’s a pageant and I am thrilled that I will be there with my tickling stick to get the entertainment underway.” There will be no shortage of Liverpool themed entertainment and the Red Devils will also make an appearance and there will be music from the Brass section of The Philharmonic. You might fancy a flutter on the Totesport Bowl Steeplechase at 3.10 or the Foxhunters Steeplechase at 3.45 which is run over the Grand National course.

Friday 8th April Ladies Day – This is the Big One for the ladies. It’s time to enter the ‘Fashion Stakes Chase’. While lots of us are normally more than happy in jeans and t shirts, joggers, or even, go on admit it pyjamas, you have to make an effort for this. It’s time to show off the new outfit, complete with some statement jewellery, the real stuff is great if you can run to it but there is some fabulous costume jewellery available to. Bring on the Jimmy Choo’s, Louboutin’s and dont forget your designer handbags, it’s almost as exciting as the horse racing!

As we’re talking fashion, back to the controversy mentioned earlier which involves Coleen Rooney who presented the fashion prizes last year. This year she will be a V.I.P. guest and it has been reported in the press that two of Wayne’s dubious lady friends will also be present. They are said to have entered the Matalan Style Contest splashing

Paddy Power April Promos

In honour of the grandest race of the year, the Grand National, Paddy Power Bingo has given an extra 500BBs to give away. On Saturday the 9th of April, each bingo game between 2pm-4pm in the Sapphire room is named after a horse in the Grand National. All those who play in the room named after the winning Grand National winner, will win a share of 500BBs. With so many horses to choose from, choosing may seem impossible for your players. Well not anymore, Paddy has created a Facebook app to help find the perfect match for you.

In celebration of the long awaited Royal wedding this year, starting on the 11th of April, Paddy Power Bingo will be throwing the biggest and longest ever hen party and would like you to join them.

Like any good hen party, it’s going to be packed with mischief and challenges! Paddy will throw you new hen party challenges weekly and each challenge you pass will earn you a golden ticket to their massive

Monday, 18 April 2011

McIlroy Masters Favourite

Rory McIlroy has proved his critics so very wrong and gone into the US Masters 2011 with a bang, taking the lead after the opening round on Thursday 7th April. The 21-year old who hails from Northern Ireland played in his first professional European Tour event as a 16-year-old in 2005 at The Forest of Arden. And the teen prodigy went on to turn professional at just 17.

On the opening day in Augusta, he surged clear of the field on day one after shooting a seven-under-par 65 and was later joined by Alvaro Quiros at the top of the leaderboard, putting him straight to top of the bookies favourites list.

Despite such a positive start, there are fears that history may repeat itself. McIlroy went two strokes better when taking the lead of the Open at St. Andrews last July but then slumped to a second-round 80 when the wind worsened.

However, speaking after his flawless round on Thursday, McIlroy said he now feels better prepared to deal with adversity. “At the time, it was very disappointing,” he said of his second-round collapse at St. Andrews. “But looking back, it was probably very valuable in my progression as a golfer. I hope it will help me,” he said. “I have that experience to draw on, especially being in a similar position to last year at St. Andrews.”

“I feel like I’m better prepared to tee off in the second round of a major with the lead.”

Tags: mcilroy to win masters odds, rory mcilroy odds, rory mcilroy us masters, us master 2011, us masters oddsShare

F.A. Cup Semi-Final Man Utd v Man City

Manchester’s football fans of both persuasions are gearing up for their visit to Wembley. The highways and byways leading to Wembley will be a sea of red and blue as the rival teams fans descend on the capital for the eagerly awaited F.A. Cup semi-final Derby.

Man. City fans have already faced some bad luck as a Royal Mail van carrying 900 tickets of their allocation was robbed. The average value of the tickets was

Betting Big Games A Losing Play

By Robert Ferringo

I have the over/under on the number of minutes I spend watching the national championship game tonight at about 15.

Unlike some whiny national radio bobbleheads I could care less what time the game starts (it’s 9:20 p.m. EST); I’m a night owl. But I have minimal interest in the game mainly because I’m more locked into baseball right now and I will be bouncing between the Yankees-Twins, Mariners-Rangers and Pirates-Cardinals. Add in the fact that I really dislike both Connecticut (I’m a Syracuse fan) and Butler (I think they are a bunch of bitches) and tonight’s title game is about as appealing as hemorrhoids.

I also have less of an interest because I won’t have nay money or any plays down on the Connecticut-Butler game tonight. I know that seems odd that a professional handicapper wouldn’t release a prediction on the

April Showers Bring Bettors Headaches

By Robert Ferringo

Looks like we’ll get a little taste of some games in New York tonight, but anyone with money down in the Orioles-Yankees or Mets-Rockies games should be ready for some no action thanks to Mother Nature.

Rain is in the forecast this evening in New York city and the same games that were rained out last night should suffer a similar fate this evening. Unlike yesterday, however, both games will likely start before the wet stuff comes down.

The bad weather has had a clear impact on the numbers on both games. The Yankees MLB odds dropped a full run from an open of 10.5 on the total yesterday (to 9.5 today) and the Mets total dipped from an open of 8.0 early yesterday to just 7.5 today.

The National, Red Sox, and Pirates games should also be impacted by the weather. In Washington, the Phillies and Nats should make it through nine innings. But cold weather and some partial showers definitely could impact the game because it could shorten Roy Halladay’s outing.

Also, bad weather isn’t the only weather that could play a big role in today’s action. In Arizona it is going to be 84 degrees and sunny and that could make a big impact. Why? Because for the third day in a row Arizona will likely be playing with the roof open at Bank One Ballpark. And if you don’t follow the D-Backs very closely I can tell you that having the roof open is a little bit like playing softball on the moon. That could lead to another 13-8 video game score like we saw last night.

For daily info on weather be sure to check out the pages set up under the

NBA – LeBron James mother arrested in Miami

This isn’t the first nor it will be the last time that Gloria James, the mother of the Miami Heat’s all-star player LeBron James makes the cover of the sporting world news. Nor is it the first time Just like it had happened back in 2006 in Akron Ohio, when she was arrested on charges of drunken driving, this time it was the Miami Beach police who took here into custody.

According to the police report, Gloria James assaulted Sorel Rockfeller, a valet worker at the Fountainebleau Hotel in Miami Beach. It seems as if Mrs. James first lost her patience and then her temper when she assaulted Mr. Rockfeller because he was taking too long to have her car delivered.

Once police arrived to the scene, they filled in the report and said that Mrs. James smelled like alcohol and that her eyes were bloodshot. Various witnesses supported the valet-worker’s story and consequently Mrs. James was taken to the police station.

Back in 2006, Gloria James’ case was taken to court and she pleaded no contest to reckless operation, speeding, disorderly conduct and physical control of a motor vehicle under the influence. She was given a suspended sentence, fined and ordered to complete a drug and alcohol class after.

LeBron James took a couple of questions about this specific story, but didn’t go into much detail. He simply stated that he was a bit worried but that Mrs. James was fine and that this episode was a personal matter, something that shouldn’t distract him from his job-at-hand.

Perhaps a bigger issue for LeBron James and the Miami Heat is whether Dwayne Wade is going to be able to play today against the Charlotte Bobcats. Wade has been suffering lately with a deep-tissue bruise that has kept him off the courts. He is undergoing extensive physical therapy hoping that he’ll be ready to play tonight, if not, on Sunday when they play the Boston Celtics. Let’s not forget that the Heat is 0-3 against the Celtics this season.

NBA- New York Knicks defeat the Philadelphia 76ers

The Knicks had an awful March, but they are sure doing their best to make up for it this April, as the Knicks have set up a very decent 5 game winning streak since their 113-106 win in overtime against the Orlando Magic in an intricate overtime. It really seems as if the key to this success lies behind the talent of one Carmelo Anthony.

Yes, we have to recognize that since joining in late February, after an extensive 15-player deal that finally landed him from the Denver Nuggets into his new home, the Knicks have suffered a big deal of upsets, including the last two weeks of March where they lost all but one in a 10 game stretch.

But things are slowly but surely looking a bit better and with a 97-92 win over the Philadelphia 76ers, they have successfully clinch the 6th place in the Eastern Conference and get a really good chance of getting into the Playoffs. Anthony scored 31 points, 11 rebounds while the other referent, Amare Stoudemire scored 18 points, 6 rebounds and 5 assists. Stoudemire suffered a left ankle sprain during the game, and he is going to miss tonight’s game against the New Jersey Nets and it seems that he is going to be out Sunday when they hit the road and face the Indiana Pacers.

But we have to give it up for the 76ers for putting one heck of a battle. Had it not been for Toney Douglas, who hit the go ahead triple with 1:47 to go, we would be writing the story of how the 76ers won the game despite a 19-point deficit in one heck of a comeback. To seal the deal, it was Douglas who completed two free throws with 42 seconds to go to give the Knicks their 5th consecutive win.

Elton Brand was the leader for Philadelphia scoring 24 points, recording 9 rebounds and 4 blocks. As for the comeback, Thaddeus Young was vital for the 76ers aspirations. Not only did he scored 15 of his 25 points in the second half alone, but he was basically responsible for rallying the 76ers back into the game alone. it was Andre Iguodala gave the last touches to the rally, pulling the Sixers within one point with his first 3-pointer of the game. But it wasn’t enough. Truth is that Carmelo Anthony had been on fire all night long and he was going to connect a triple in clutch time to give the Knicks a 95-91 lead.

So was Melo on fire? Oh yeah: he scored 28 point from behind the 3-point line and once again proved that he is ready for much bigger things. How big, well, truth is that this two team put on one heck of a show, playing with aggressiveness and an atmosphere so tense that one could have imagined they were playing for the top-seed in the Eastern Conference and not for the 6th. But hey, everybody wants to be invited to the big dance, and neither team can really afford to lose a chance to make it into the NBA Playoffs.

The Knicks lost guard Chauncey Billups (another great addition in the deal that landed Melo in New York) towards the end of the third quarter, and he didn’t comeback. He had a bruised right tight, but the big problem came for Stoudemire, not for Billups who is expected to see action tonight.

NBA – Chicago Bulls beat Boston Celtics to clinch the Eastern Conference Title

Ok, let’s be fair to the Boston Celtics and perhaps for the sake of precision lets just say that the Boston Celtics still have a mathematical probability of winning the Conference Title and holding on to the No.1 seed in the East for the NBA Playoffs. But on the other hand we must also say that the Celtics gasping the No.1 seed is as improbable as it is for the Bulls to lose all of its pending games.

For starters, the soon to be named the league’s MVP, the talented and spectacular Derrick Rose outplayed no other then one of the NBA’s finest point guards: Rajon Rondo. As if that was not enough, Rose, with 30 points, 8 rebounds and 5 assists almost, single handedly outscored the Boston Celtics Big three: Kevin Garnet, 10 points, 10 rebounds; Paul Pierce, 15 points, 4 rebounds; Ray Allen 7 points and 6 rebounds.

So this better be a wake-up call for the Boston Celtics if they are really hoping to emulate their National Championship in 2008. Sure, they made it to the finals last year, but considering all the rebuilding and insane investments that the teams in the Easter Conference have made, it is certainly going to be a bit more of a challenge to play the Bulls, the Miami Heat, the Orlando Magic and the Knicks for a spot in the NBA Finals.

The guys from Chicago were playing with much more cohesion and style, there is really no doubt about it: the Bulls deserved the win. Boston was not at its best, and the Bulls made sure they showed everyone watching the game the Celtics many flaws. Chicago outscored the Celtics 44-22 in the paint, outrebounded them 44-35 and held Boston to 38.4 percent shooting. And that’s not the Celtics that we expect to see on a daily basis. That’s not the team that held the Miami Heat to a 3-0 record and which on Sunday could very well sweep the season with a 4-0.

Because there is simple one big issue: Derrick Rose has been certainly a prominent force in this new era for the Bulls. Because let’s face it, we haven’t seen the Bulls play like they have since, well, since Scottie Pippen and Micheal Jordan were working their way into becoming NBA Legends.

Rose was a one-man highlight reel against Rajon Rondo, beating him with his crossover and getting to the rim. His performance in the first half was just outstanding. Rose scored 16 points in the first two quarters as the Bulls build a 48-43 lead. Luol Deng scored 23 points, and Carlos Boozer added 14 points and 12 rebounds.

The bottom line: Rose outplayed Rondo and that just was not good news for Boston. Twice, Rose completely lost Rondo with hard crossovers. In the second quarter, Rose duped Rondo by stepping back and left, fainting to shoot, then crossing back to his right and flying pass three Celtics Players for the layup. It was a beautiful play that simply made Rondo and the Celtics look a bit too soft, too weak, and not quite ready yet for the Playoffs.

NBA – Grizzlies defeat Kings for last Playoffs berth in the West

The Memphis Grizzlies managed to outplay the Sacramento Kings in an entertaining 101-96 win and thus secure the last available berth into the Playoffs in the Western Conference. Zach Randolph hit two free throws with 4.8 seconds and sealed the deal for the Grizzlies, which managed to earn its first ticket into the Playoffs in the last 5 years.

Randolph finished the night with 27 points, 15 rebounds while guiding Memphis to a 45-34 season that eliminated the Houston Rockets from the race for the last spot in the Western Conference Finals. Point Guard Mike Conley had 12 points and eight assists while Marc Gasol chipped in with 18 points and Tony Allen scored 13 as Memphis won for the fifth time in six games.

But it wasn’t easy. Truth be said, the Sacramento Kings put on one heck of a fight in the last quarter. Quite frankly the Kings could very well have won the game. As a matter of fact, Sacramento pulled itself back into the game and when there where only 39 seconds to go in the game, they were down 97-96.

It was a good effort from the Kings. Marcus Thornton led the Sacramento with 18 points, seven coming in the final 2:30 to keep the Grizzlies from celebrating too early. Samuel Dalembert had 17 points and 16 rebounds. Tyreke Evans had 16 points, and Jason Thompson had 15 points on 7-of-10 shooting.

Had it not been for the Kings turnover rate, things would had been very different. Sacramento was very dominant in the paint, dominating the boards. The Kings outrebounded Memphis 49-42. That is including 16 offensive rebounds that contributed to 31 second-chance points, a season high for Sacramento. The Kings were a bit better shooting, and despite cutting down a 12-point deficit, their 10 turnovers would eventually end up costing them a bit too much.

Marc Gasol had 13 points during the first two quarters to help Memphis carry a 46-43 lead at halftime, but regardless of his performance, the first half was a bit of a disappointment. The Grizzlies shot 38 percent, while the Kings were at 42 percent and both teams missed all five of their 3-point attempts. Francisco Garcia nailed the first 3-pointer of the game right after the halftime break then followed with another to help Sacramento retake the lead.

The Grizzlies will now have to face the New Orleans Hornets on Sunday. These where the last two teams to clinch a NBA Playoffs berth in the Western Conference, neither of them are locked into the last position, so this game will be decisive for securing a higher berth in the final. New Orleans (46-33) secured a playoff berth by beating Houston on Wednesday, and Memphis (45-34) clinched the conference’s final spot Friday with a 101-96 win over Sacramento.

On the other hand, New Orleans is trying to avoid a first-round matchup with the Los Angeles Lakers, who will probably clinch the No. 2 seed in the West. The two-time reigning NBA champions outscored the Hornets by an average of 10.8 points in sweeping the season series, so chances are they might have a similar fate should they meet again in the postseason.

NBA – Jason Kidd takes a two-game break before facing the Playoffs

The Dallas Mavericks relay heavily on their 38 year-old point guard, and considering that Jason Kidd had played all 77 games before taking his well deserved break, it was no surprise that both the Mavs and Kidd were struggling a bit early towards the end of the season. Dallas has gone 9-9 in their last 18 games and after an intensive six game 10-day road trip, Kidd himself realized that it was time to take a break.

The constant traveling and the little rest he has given his body had mesmerized even his shooting from outside the three-point perimeter. And we all know that was his best offensive weapon. His performance suddenly dropped and in march some of his numbers went to career low records.

Jason Kidd had been shooting better than 40 percent in each of the last two seasons with the Dallas Mavericks from beyond the three-point arch, but not so much this season. He currently sits at 34.1 percent after suffering through a bleak March, his worst shooting month of the season.

Kidd was 23-of-88 (26.1 percent) from 3-point range in March and tacked on an 0-of-10 in the two games he’s played in April. So it was certainly a good thing he good some rest. Truth is that the Mavs really need to have him at his best if they want to have a chance to survive either the LA Lakers or the Portland Trailblazers in the postseson. Kidd averaged a season-low 7.1 points a game last month, which dropped his season scoring average to a career-low 7.9 points a game.

Kidd would not rule himself out during the last in three games of the season. The Mavs play at the Houston Rockets on Monday, but rumor has it that if Wednesday’s regular season finale against the New Orleans Hornets is meaningless, it is possible that he could rest during that game as well.

NBA – Boston Celtics rest its starters against the Washington Wizards

The Boston Celtics head coach, Doc Rivers, made a clear statement about where his priorities were going to be. Once the Miami Heat crushed the Celtics by 100-77 and thus basically secured the No.2 seed in the Eastern Conference, Rivers made a simple concession: let them have it. The Celtics are not going to fight for a better seed, they rather give rest to the Big Four: Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce, Ray Allen and Rajon Rondo.

Because contrary to what happens with either the Orlando Magic, the New York Knicks, the Miami Heat or the Chicago Bulls, Doc Rivers has to deal with a simple fact: his team is a very veteran squad. Sure, his starters all know what it takes and what it feels to have won at least one ring (lets not forget that although not a starter, Shaquille O’Neal has more Championships rings than some franchises) but just as certain is the fact that they are old, and on the twilight of their professional careers.

With the exception of Rajon Rondo and perhaps Jermaine O’Neil, these group of guys need some rest, not because they are not well trained, or tired, but just because things start to change once you turn 30 years old, and most Celtics are a good bit pass that. Doc Rivers believes this mental break, this pause, could really payoff once the postseason begins. Sure, they have now given up the No. 2 seed, and are now matched up for a first round series against the New York Knicks, but a little rest could actually significantly improve the C’s chances of moving on.

This was also a good chance for the Celtics bench to prove that they have the talent and the prowess to one day, replace this extraordinary group of starting players. Doc Rivers has already announced that he will rest his key men during the season finale against the New York Knicks on Wednesday. So don’t keep your hopes up for an extraordinary preview of their playoffs matchup.

The Washington Wizards, on the other hand, took advantage of the situation and decided to work their way into a tight 95-94 win in overtime. John Wall led the way with 24 points, nine rebounds and three assists. It still didn’t help the Wizards from finishing yet another 23-58 season, that leaves them with absolutely no chance, not even close, of extending their season into the playoffs.

With a 55-26 season, the Boston Celtics will finish third in the conference, behind the leaders, the Chicago Bulls, which are seen a rebirth. Truth be said, the Bulls are playing like we haven’t seen them play, well, since those good old days of Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen. Guided by the talents of the soon to be named seasons MVP, Derrick Rose, the Bulls are becoming quite an dominant force in the league.

The No.2 seed will then go to the Miami Heat, and its trio of superstars, that although having a regular season filled with brilliant runs and some disastrous streaks as well, have stayed strong and could become a referent in the Eastern Conference. They have the manpower to win the championship, but perhaps they lack the team efforts we can almost feel when it comes to both the Chicago Bulls and the Boston Celtics.

NBA – Miami Heat defeat the Atlanta Hawks for 2nd seed in the East

The Miami Heat took advantage of the motivational boost that came from defeating the Boston Celtics on Sunday, and brought out their A-game to survive a come-from-behind rally via the Hawks bench, that almost cost them the game and the No.2 seed. Head coach Erick Spoelstra took a very different approach to this game.

While, as we covered on the previous entry, the Boston Celtics decided to rest all of its key players, giving up the No.2 seed to the Heat, in Miami, Spoelstra started and played to the end all of his stars. He was certainly looking for a way to secure the No. 2 seed behind the Chicago Bulls in the east.

It might be a little too early to make any predictions, on which coach took the better approach. Spolestra wanted to secure the seed and he has the advantage of counting on a team filled with young players. Doc Rivers, on the other hand, has to consider that most of his players are in the tail end of their careers. So yes, Spolestra avoided a match against the New York Knicks in the Playoffs, but those extra, somewhat unnecessary minutes played by LeBron James, Chris Bosh and Dwayne Wade could affect them down the stretch.

LeBron James scored 34 points, 10 rebounds and 7 assists while guiding the Heat to a 98-90 win over the Atlanta Hawks. Extra kudos must go to the Hawks who nearly rallied from a 20-point deficit while playing the fourth quarter with little-used bench players against three of the NBA’s best. And that should worry the Miami Heat just a bit. Yes, they were quite terrific against the Boston Celtics, but once we begin the playoffs, anything can, and usually does, happen.

Josh Smith scored 17 points, 6 rebounds and 3 assists to lead the Hawks. With this defeat Atlanta has now lost a season-high five straight games, which is certainly not the way any team would like to close the season. Truth is, their first round playoff matchup with the Orlando Magic is not going to be easy, and the precedent they built last season doesn’t help their case either. The Magic wiped out the Hawks in four straight games a year ago in the Playoffs firs round.

It wasn’t an easy game for the Heat. Yes, they won, but like we mentioned before, the Hawks were heavily taking their chances while giving so many minutes to bench players. The Miami Heat appeared to had cracked the game by the time there where only 6 1/2 minutes left of the second quarter, hitting 11 of its last 14 shots.

Dwayne Wade handled most of the scoring load with 13 points — including 9 in a row — during a closing 25-15 run that turned a tight game into a 62-46 lead for the Heat by the halftime break. James and Bosh did the rest, combining for Miami’s other points during the spurt.

It is still uncertain what sort of performance the Heat are going to put together this postseason. Yes, they have clinched the no.2 seed in the Eastern Conference but we are talking about a team that underwent a mayor overhaul last summer, and that were struggling at 9-8 late in November. Yes, Miami got better, a lot better. But just over a month ago, they lost five in a row. Now Miami is heading to the playoffs with 14 wins in their last 17 games. That should make things interesting.

NBA – Lakers beat San Antonio Spurs but at a very high cost

Winning is everything. At least that’s the story that they want to sell us when we get so excited watching our favorite teams compete. And although it is true, that on some instances the scenario is win or go home (the NCAA tourney, the NFL postseason, etc.) sometimes you could take a lose or two just for the sake of continuity and to play it safe. The Lakers were able to break a streak of 5 losing games but at doing so they not only defeated the San Antonio Spurs 102-93, but they also paid a very high cost for that win. Andrew Bynum, the 23-year-old center injured his rickety right knee and could easily be out for a couple games.

On the previous two entries we were covering both the Boston Celtics and the Atlanta Hawks decision to sit down their starters on the last games of the postseason. Yes, on the one side, that meant that the Celtics gave up the No. 2 seed on the East to the Miami Heat, which would happen to play all of its star filled rooster to barely outplay the Atlanta Hawks bench.

Yes, there is an upside and a downside to every decision one makes. On the one side, the Hawks have rested its star players but that hasn’t kept the Hawks from loosing its 5th straight game and although they have a healthy rooster, it’s not the most motivational season finale ever. They have certainly got to not only feel rested but extremely motivated if they want to make it pass the Orlando Magic in the first round. Let’s not forget that the Magic dismissed the Hawks in 4 straight games exactly on year ago, during the NBA Eastern Conference Playoffs first round.

Now, The LA Lakers, had to win this next games if they wanted to secure the No. 2 seed. We are certainly not second guessing Phil Jackson’s decision to play all of his starters against the San Antonio Spurs. But considering that the Lakers had already secured a spot on the Playoffs and that, on the other hand, Gregg Popovich had rested all of his starters, perhaps it wouldn’t have hurt to play it safe and sit down Kobe Bryant, Lamar Odom, Pau Gasol and yes, one Andrew Bynum.

The Lakers were guided once again by Kobe Bryant who scored 27 points but got into foul trouble early in the game. Lamar Odom scored 23 points as the Lakers struggled to hold off the Spurs backup players. Popovich rested stars Tim Duncan, Manu Ginobili and Tony Parker and let them watch the game with their civilian cloths on. He had no reason to risk it: the Spurs had the Western Conference’s top seed already secured.

For the Lakers, Spaniard Pau Gasol had 17 points and 17 rebounds, showing once again that he could be a decisive force down the stretch. With this win, the Lakers have almost secured the No. 2 seed in the West. All they need is either a win at Sacramento or a loss by the Dallas Mavericks.

Gary Neal scored 16 points and Matt Bonner had 13 for the Spurs. Yes it is not a good sensation, to close the regular season with a losing streak, but heck, motivational wise, it was certainly a booster to see that for a moment there, the Spurs backup players were really giving the two-time defending champions a very hard time.

NBA – A quick look at the NBA Playoffs (Part 2)

Let’s keep on going with our attempt to answer some question about the NBA Playoffs. Let’s talk a bit about the Miami Heat, before we get on to take a look at the team that holds the best record in the league: the Chicago Bulls. Let’s look at the facts. Miami has had a season filled with ups and downs. The 9-9 start, followed by a strong comeback in December, was then filled in with a series of downfalls that culminated with head coach Erik Spoelstra saying that there were guys in the locker room crying after the Heat lost at home against the Chicago Bulls 87-86.

Yes, after a 3-0 whopping series against Boston, the squad finally man-up to defeat the defending champions earlier this week. Still, Boston managed to finished with the third best record in the league, but to be quite honest, the Heat regular season was not as brilliant as the Big Three of LeBron James, Dwayne Wade and Chrish Bosh might make it sound like. The Miami starting trio said that the season had been a success. Well, it will only be a success if they can turn that record into something spectacular once the season kicks in.

Sure, the Heat could have it fairly easy on the first round, playing against the Philadelphia 76ers. No one I really expecting the 76ers to stay alive further then a 6th or maybe a 7 game series. But things will not be that easy once they have to match up to either the Celtics or the New York Knicks.

The Bulls have something of an easier road down the stretch. The Bulls will have to start the season against the Indiana Pacers and should (and let’s face it, they probably will) make it pass the first round, they would probably find either Orlando Magic or the Atlanta Hawks on the second round. If we had to make our picks we would say Orlando. And the thing is that Derrick Rose might be too much of a matchup against Dwight Howard and the Magic.

There is something of a motivational component to this whole performance by the Chicago Bulls. They haven’t played like this in a long-long while. As a matter of fact, the last time we saw them played like this, they won 6 national championships. So yes, like we’ve said before, Derrick Rose is not Michael Jordan, but the people in Chicago might start believing that he is, and given the home-team advantage they have throughout the Playoffs, they are going to be a tough team to beat at home.

NBA – A quick look at the NBA Playoffs (Part 1)

This is it! In two months from now, the NBA will have its National Champion. Would the LA Lakers repeat their title and confirm themselves as the dominant force? Are the aging Boston Celtics still capable of holding off much younger (and certainly less experienced) squads? Is the Miami Heat really as good as LeBron James, Dwayne Wade and Chris Bosh make it look like? The Chicago Bulls finished with the best record of the league and the best season since Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen, but can Derrick Rose and Co. live up to the high expectations?

The NBA Playoffs are finally here. As these teams have proved on previous years, it really doesn’t matter much what a team can (or specific players) can do on the regular season, because it is really the Playoffs where it all comes down to win or go home. The Lakers and the Celtics are really good at this. Both teams can turn on the switch at anytime, and then they are gone. They have what it takes to change the game. Kobe Bryant is there, Pau Gasol is there, and the squad is guided by no other then Phil Jackson, a coach that doesn’t need to prove anything to anyone no more. But can they survive the playoffs on the weakling right knee of Andrew Bynum. Last time Bynum was out, the Celtics defeated them for the 2008 championship. It’ isn’t a good omen.

The Celtics skidded plenty late in the regular season and lost the No.1 and No. 2 seed in the Eastern Conference. Yes, at the end, Doc Rivers decided to rest his starters, so at least giving up the No.2 seed was part of a bigger plan. But can they really get back to top shape by this weekend? Let’s face it: Ray Allen, Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett are not getting any younger, and they tend to suffer a bit down the stretch. But guided by the multitalented point guard Rajon Rondo, they could once again, upset younger teams in the east. Yes, they’ll miss Kendrick Perkins, especially if you consider they might have to overcome the Knicks, the Miami Heat and the Chicago Bulls to arrive into the finals.

Who would you miss from the Premier League?

With the Premier League as usual gearing up to lose three sides at the end of the campaign, the question that neutral fans are being asked is which team they would like to see survive, and which side they wouldn’t miss watching compete on a weekly basis in the top flight of the English game.

Although football fans never actually enjoy seeing a club relegated or suffering ill fortune, there are some clubs that fans don’t quite take to as much as others, and, on the other hand, some that become instant hits due to the manner in which they appeal to fans’ imaginations. The Premier League best odds suggest a whole host of teams could go down this season.

Take Hull City as an example. They became hate figures because their manager at the time, Phil Brown, behaved like an idiot and saw all the early credibility and respect sent their way immediately upon their promotion diminished. With Brown’s behaviour almost forcing neutrals to will the club to relegation, this year the Hull City of the relegation battle is not so easy to identify.

That said, there are a couple of clubs that seem to do what it takes to make fans keen to see their survival, and this year the club that deserves this label most of all is surely Blackpool after the first team managed to string together a run of displays that forced many to view them as perhaps the most exciting and watchable side in the league. The Premier League betting offers suggest they could be in trouble though.

However, the opposite side to this has been shown, in many fans’ opinion, by Wigan, a club that seems to offer almost nothing to the Premier League and yet continues to survive year after year.

Ultimately, despite all the debate, feelings and hopes, this will have almost nothing to do in the end with the final relegation picture, as only points will help to save troubled teams now.

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Can City show the strength they need to come fourth?

Although Manchester City are a very physical footballing side, and a very talented one as well, they all too often have the look about them of a squad, rather than a united team fighting for the same cause. For this reason alone, rather than anything to do with the quality or fame level of their players or their immense strength in depth, City are almost now considered to be a side that stand little to no chance of qualifying for the Champions League next season.

Yes, Spurs are going to be feeling mentally a little bit battered and bruised after they lost 5

Can the Chinese Grand Prix provide a new winner?

Posted on April 15th, 2011 in Sports Betting Blog

Sebastian Vettel has driven fantastically well this season, there’s no doubt about that, the German managing to deal well with the sort of problems that confronted him with his car during the last Grand Prix, but the fact remains that the general public are growing sick and tired of watching races that are meant to contain elements of overtaking and huge excitement but actually end up proving something of a damp squib.

With this in mind, the Chinese Grand Prix will surely be the last one during which the general public give the current F1 season the benefit of the doubt and accept that the races will get more exciting and more competitive. Those following the F1 odds will certainly hope so.

If this weekend fails to provide that spark and element of sustained competitiveness at the very front of the grid, and leaves the qualifying sessions as the only exciting part of the Grand Prix weekend, then we will have to start contemplating what extreme measures the FIA are going to need to implement to stop one team every year racing away with the title, leaving the battle for glory to be fought out between only the two drivers working for that team, with one of those two often standing a greater chance of winning due to internal team support.

However, forgetting the negativity for just a second, it’s worth remembering what we have been able to learn from this season so far, with some teams clearly far better than we expected them to be, and that fact meaning that Vettel and Red Bull have a long way to go before they can even start to think about easing off and enjoying the fact that they have sown up the drivers’ and constructors’ championships. That said, if we are to see the Red Bull team defeated in the long-term, then we are going to need to see the others really step up to the plate when it matters at the Chinese Grand Prix.

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Middlesbrough v Barnsley Preview

At the start of the season nobody could have imagined these two sides sat so close to each other in the table, with Middlesbrough tipped as clear promotion favorites while Barnsley were seen as a side who would struggle. However, as we approach this fixture just two places separate the two clubs, with Boro sat in 18th place while the Tykes are positioned in 16th.

Middlesbrough’s season may have been something of a disaster, yet the Riverside outfit at least seem to be ending the campaign in positive style. Tony Mowbray’s men actually approach this game with some of the best form in the division, having not lost in their last six and put together a run that has seen them collect twelve points from a possible eighteen. That has seemingly dispelled their relegation fears and while they haven’t yet reached the magic fifty point barrier, with five games left it does seem something of a foregone conclusion. Of course, Mowbray’s aim now will be to analyze his squad and prepare for a much more successful next campaign. However, with rumors of the club struggling financially, it remains to be seen how much power Mowbary will have in the transfer market.

Barnsley on the other hand appear to be safe from relegation now, with the Tykes thirteen points clear of the bottom three having accumulated fifty points. With five games remaining, that is certainly a very good achievement for the club who were tipped as serious candidates for the drop at the start of the campaign. However, it would be fair to say that most of the work was done in the opening stages of the season as the club approach this encounter with some disastrous form behind them. Having lost three out of their last four and only won two out of twelve, Mark Robins has come in for some recent criticism. Despite this, supporters were actually very complimentary about their side following the recent 1-0 defeat to QPR, with many praising the Tykes’ attacking style.

As for team news, Middlesbrough have been hit by several injuries recently and Tony Mowbray will approach this encounter without the likes of Seb Hines and Merouane Zemmama who are struggling with jaw and hamstring problems respectively. What’s more, influential striker Marvin Emnes will sit this one out as well as he serves a suspension. Barnsley meanwhile don’t have much to report although Hugo Colace is hopeful of a starting place after shaking off a knee problem. However, following the Tykes’ performance in their last outing, it would not be a surprise if Mark Robins keeps his side unchanged.

In terms of a prediction, we think Middlesbrough will prove to be too strong for their opponents here. Boro have put together some very good form over the past few weeks and with Barnsley struggling somewhat, our prediction will be a comfortable 2-0 victory for the home outfit.

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Sunday, 17 April 2011

Preston v Sheffield United Preview

Some would say that both of these sides are already down, with Preston approaching this game sat in 23rd position while Sheffield United are rock bottom of the league in 24th. Both have endured dreadful seasons and while they are not yet mathematically relegated, they both have enormous tasks on their hands to stay in the division with just five games remaining.

Preston’s form over the past few weeks has been actually very good but it’s most certainly a case of too little, too late for the Deepdale outfit. The Lilywhites have lost just once in their last six but after collecting just two points from their last three games, it would be fair to say that their form has dried off slightly as we head into the season finale. As it stands, Phil Brown’s men have collected thirty six points, meaning that seven points now keep them adrift of safety. It’s generally thought that fifty points is the mark for survival and with just fifteen points left to play for, it’s no surprise to see how Preston’s chances have been written off by many already.

Sheffield United meanwhile have endured an equally awful campaign and many of their supporters have also accepted their fate. United are actually one point worse off than their opponents meaning that eight points keep them away from safety and with so little of the season remaining, survival now seems almost impossible. A few weeks ago the Bramall Lane outfit held a slight glimmer of hope of surviving after recording two successive home victories, but since then their form has dipped again and the Blades approach this clash having lost their last three. Considering the fact that their last two games were at home, Micky Adams will be deeply frustrated and he may even be worried about his own position, despite inheriting the Blades’ problems from previous managers.

Preston’s chances in this one have been hit with something of a injury crisis as Phil Brown prepares to be without umpteen players. The likes of Leon Cort, Sean St Ledger, David Gray, Amine Linganzi and Conor McLaughlin are all on the treatment table and there are doubts that some will play again this season. Sheffield United also have plenty of concerns and Micky Adams will leave it late before making a decision on Daniel Bogdanovic, Joe Mattock and Stephen Quinn who are all doubtful through injuries. Ched Evans and Richard Cresswell are definite absentees, but Adams at least has some good news with Lee Williamson set to return to the reckoning after completing a suspension.

As for a prediction, we think this will end in a draw. Preston hold the home advantage and have the better form, but with the Lilywhites having so many injury concerns this will be no walkover. Micky Adams will demand nothing less than a battling performance from his United side and with that, we’ll predict a 2-2 score line.

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