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High Hopes

Tuesday, August 31st, 2010

The Premier League season has had a wonderful start, and although it is early days there seems to be three teams that everybody is talking about.

Up until their game with Stoke, Chelsea had only played two games and had already scored 12 goals. The Stoke game saw a slowdown in the number of goals scored, although Chelsea still managed a respectable 2 – 0 win. Chelsea look very impressive and are definitely the team to beat this season, the bookmakers agree and Chelsea are 6/5 favourites, ahead of Manchester United who are currently 2/1. Nevertheless, it is worth bearing in mind that the opposition Chelsea has faced thus far aren’t exactly world beaters.

Perhaps the team generating the most column inches pre-season was Manchester City. This summer City have spent approximately £120 million, much more than the other Premiership teams who are all feeling the effects of the recent economic downturn. Yaya Toure and James Milner look like great buys and City’s season began well. A draw with Spurs at White Hart Lane is a credible result, and the 3-0 win over Liverpool was at times, an absolute joy to watch. Additionally City have performed well in the early stages of the Europa League, getting past FC Timisoara with relative ease. So far so good for City, that was until a shock defeat at Sunderland meant that City’s title odds drifted from 13/2 out to 8/1. It could be a little premature I admit, but Mancini is now 11/2 to be the next Premier League manager to leave his club, and this looks like a good punt.

Spurs fans simply couldn’t wait for the new campaign to start, and who could blame them. Having clinched the coveted fourth spot last year, Champions League football was finally on its way to White Hart Lane. Tottenham didn’t exactly get off to a flier recording an opening day draw with City and then losing 3-2 to Young Boys in their Champions League debut, however, a ship steadying 2-1 victory against Stoke and an emphatic 4-0 win in the return leg against Young Boys, and things were looking up for Spurs. A shock 1-0 defeat to Wigan shouldn’t mean that the rails have come off but Spurs fans will be looking forward to the end of the international break and hopefully a good result against West Brom will see Spurs once again looking good value at 40/1 to be unlikely Premier League champions come the end of the season.

If you fancy a punt, why not check out our list of top UK Bookmakers.

Posted in Articles, Betting, Football | 1 Comment »

Germany 4 – 1 England: “They’re Going Home!”

Monday, June 28th, 2010

Before the World Cup started not many would have expected the England football team to leave the tournament so prematurely, and in such a lacklustre manner. In the end the so called “Battle of Bloemfontein” was more like a massacre, and as such, a serious post-mortem will now take place. On the end of the game most bookmakers were offering around 7/4 for Fabio Capello to resign before midnight and bets were being taken on the next England manager.

Harry Redknapp is the current favourite with odds of 7/4. However, if Capello does resign quite quickly, it seems unlikely Redknapp will take the job, having done so well in getting Tottenham Hotspur into the Champions League for the coming season. It would appear that Redknapp would prefer to undertake this challenge before accepting the England job, which some say is one that he has always coveted.

Second favourite is Roy Hodgson, who is another English manager of the moment, having performed so well with lowly Fulham last season, bookmakers are offering 7/2, that he accepts the top job. However, it is important here to remember that Roy Hodgson has also been the favourite for the Liverpool managers’ position for some time.

Next in line, according to the bookmakers is Stuart Pearce at 7/1, with Jose Mourniho leading the rest of the field at 12/1. If you fancy Beckham to begin his career in football management with the toughest job of all you can get 33/1.

What is most noticeable about this field is that it is dominated by Englishmen. With England’s performance in this tournament having been so poor it is not difficult to see why. Passion, spirit and fortitude is something England as a team do not tend to lack, what having a foreign manager was supposed to do was bring in a higher level of technical ability and tactical awareness, something which simply has not happened. Bookmakers are in agreement with this reasoning and are currently offering a tiny 1/3 that the next England manager is indeed English.

Perhaps one of the positives to come out of this game should be the advent of video technology in football. Frank Lampard’s fantastic goal having been disallowed when it quite clearly crossed the line is extremely embarrassing for the sport. Subsequently the bookmakers are offering 2/1 that video technology will be trialled at Euro 2012.

Posted in Articles, Betting, Football | 3 Comments »

Wimbledon is back!

Friday, June 25th, 2010

The end of June, Strawberries and the sudden re-emergence of Sir Cliff Richard can only signal one thing. Yes, you guessed it; the Wimbledon Championships are here again, and for once, the weather is so glorious in the UK that they might not need the famous sliding roof at all this year!

Whilst all eyes have been on the football World Cup for the last couple of weeks, tennis will now share the spotlight as the Wimbledon Championships got underway this week. It is already shaping up to be another cracking tournament as the longest match in Grand Slam history caught everyone’s imagination and dominated the early headlines. John Isner of the USA and Nicolas Mahut of France played for a gruelling eleven hours and five minutes, with Isner eventually winning the match 70-68. If you think that there is room for another epic match in this year’s tournament you can get 500/1 for that, not likely then but you never know! Isner himself, is a whopping 125/1 to win Wimbledon, but with this victory spurring him on, and the elevation of his profile this could just be his year.

As you would expect the betting on the men’s championship is dominated by Federer and Nadal. Federer is 7/4 and Nadal is 23/10, a Federer and Nadal final is around 9/4 with the bookmakers. Not much value to be had there, however a little further down the betting and there are some great names with some fantastic odds. You can get 6/1 for Great Britain’s Andy Murray to win (and if he does he will be the first British man to lift the men’s trophy since 1936), 10/1 for American Andy Roddick and 22/1 for Austrailian Leyton Hewitt. You can also bet on a player simply reaching the final, here you will get 3/1 for Andy Murray, and 12/1 for Leyton Hewitt.

As in the men’s tournament, the two biggest names in the ladies game dominate the betting. Serena Williams is the outright favourite with odds of just 13/8, her sister; Venus Williams looks like a great bet with odds of 3/1. If you fancy a Williams Sisters final, then you are not alone as the bookmakers obviously do to, offering odds of just 2/1. Other notable names present a much better chance of a substantial return, without a massive outlay. Kim Clijsters is 6/1, Maria Sharapova is 8/1 and Jelena Jankovic is 25/1.

Posted in Articles, Betting, General | No Comments »

World Cup 2010 – Betting on the outright winners

Monday, June 21st, 2010

From the very outset it was apparent that this World Cup was going to be nothing like those which had gone before it. Never-mind that this is the first time the tournament has been staged in Africa; it was clear the moment the vuvuzelas became one of the biggest talking points in offices and bars throughout the world, that this World Cup was going to be, quite frankly, rather bonkers. And so it has proved, so far. France cannot make it out onto the training pitch, let alone out of Group A and into the last 16, England look a shadow of the team that qualified so magnificently and they may also not qualify for the knockout stages. After looking excellent in their opening game, Germany suffered a shock defeat to Serbia, Italy have only been able to manage two draws out of their opening two games and the pre-tournament favourites, the Spanish, couldn’t beat Switzerland.

However, some of the usual suspects are performing well. Argentina are looking good, even though sometimes it is more entertaining to watch the craziness that is Diego Maradonna jumping up and down in his technical area. Holland and Brazil are also playing well and unlike some of the other teams, they, are scoring goals.

So what are the odds for the big eight now? Well, Argentina and Brazil are currently the joint favourites, with most bookmakers offering around 4/1. Next, despite their opening game defeat is Spain, priced at around 5/1. Germany and Holland are both around 9/1, whilst the odds on England have not lengthened much, and they are 10/1. The odds on Italy retaining the World Cup are an impressive 20/1, possibly some value to be had there. France meanwhile, will almost definitely be following Nicolas Anelka home before the knockout stages, the bookmakers agree and they are currently 125/1.

It is worth bearing in mind though, that if this World Cup continues the way it has started we may well see a pre-tournament rank outsider lift the Jules Rimet trophy.  The South American triumvirate of Paraguay, Uruguay and Mexico have been impressive and as such, the odds on these teams have shortened considerably. The bookmakers now have Paraguay on a par with Portugal offering odds of 25/1 for either of those to win the World Cup, whilst Uruguay and Mexico are both 33/1.

Posted in Articles, Betting, Football | 8 Comments »

Royal Ascot!

Monday, June 14th, 2010

Royal Ascot is here, and we thought we’d take the opportunity to remind you that in our horse racing section we have a detailed profile of Royal Ascot. Within the profile, you’ll be able to find details of key races, a profile of the festival itself, as well as a detailed list of races at Royal Ascot and information about Ascot Racecourse (including how to get there and details of dress codes).

Again, if you fancy a punt – why not try one of these UK bookmakers?

Coverage starts at 13:45 on 15 June on BBC 2

Posted in Articles, Betting, Horse Racing, News | 1 Comment »

Can free bets improve your odds?

Thursday, April 15th, 2010

Einstein is quoted to have once said that he did not believe that God played with dice. I have to disagree with Einstein on this one, holding to the opinion that the Creator has to be the eternal bookie in the sky.

Thus believing gambling to be as old as, and a natural part of, life, I have to ask whether Adam sorted the odds of being found out eating the apple before he took the first bite; we are still paying in instalments for Adam’s bum bet, having since been evicted from the Gardens of Eden. Does the lion weigh his chances of catching the deer before springing upon his hunt? No money changed hands, but it was no free betting either. The lion staked a morning’s dollop of energy against filling his stomach with venison. Adam stake was high as it was unknown. No money changed hands but the bets still cost.

Maybe the need to gamble, take a chance or embark on risky ventures is a part of the nature of life? Do gamblers always know the risks? Do they ever know the costs? Do we look for the adrenalin from a gamble we can’t afford? Is the gamble for real reward or for the sake of the gamble itself? What makes a man step further and become addicted? This dark side of nature is fascinating and I promise myself to seek out the available research done on the subject.

As almost everyone knows, there is no such thing as free lunch. By the same token there is no such thing as a free bet. As luck would have it however, there is a promotion by British Bookmakers to offer newly acquired clients a come on of a free bet, motivated by establishing a longer term
relationship, during which they will no doubt recover it with the margin from his turnover. For those who bet anyway, it may not be a bad idea to try other reputable Bookmakers, collecting the free bets along the way.

The 5 reputable Bookmakers listed below, are licensed in UK Gambling Acts’ whitelist jurisdictions (and as such, unlikely to cheat or run away with their satchels after a win), and offer introductory free bets. With many interesting upcoming events such as the election debate winner, the general election winner, odds on a now favoured hung parliament, a long program of top class racing in the classics, the tennis season at Wimbledon, the list is endless. Our bookmakers offer free bets, but vary from one book to another. So if you intend to bet anyway, remember there is no free bet, but a free bet strategy well applied can reduce the odds. Good hunting.

Bet365 | Betfair | Ladbrokes | Skybet | ToteSport

Posted in Articles, Betting | No Comments »

What are the odds on a white Christmas?

Sunday, December 20th, 2009

Here we snow, here we snow, here we snow! Yes it’s that time of year again when every paper, commentator and Joe Public start to discuss the odds of it being a white Christmas.

Well as most of the UK knows today it’s already white and slushy, what with an early blizzard covering large swathes of the British Isles.

So is it an odds-on dead cert that Christmas Day will be snowey or just slush or bare with no more flurries.

In the UK you can bet by city, so offering a better opportunity of calling it right. Paddy Power and Sky Bet offer some of the best odds and offer introductory bonuses too when you join them. I had a cheeky snow bet with Betfair two weeks ago when the odds were 6-1, I’m keeping my mittens crossed for more snow, but with pressies still to buy a few snow free days would be good to get out round those stores quickly and not get caught up in the last minute rush.

Some City prices from last night include both Christmas Snow and No Christmas Snow, amazingly yes you can even bet on it being a blank Christmas. Now if only I could bet on what colour the usual Christmas slippers colour will be this year – sheesh!

London 3-1 Yes, 2-7 No
Manchester 2-1 Yes, 1-3 No
Liverpool 9-4 Yes, 2-7 No
Glasgow 5-2 Yes, 1-3 No
Edinburgh 7-4 Yes, 2-5 No
Cardiff 10-3 Yes, 2-5 No
Birmingham 11-4 Yes, 1-3 No
Belfast 10-3 Yes, 2-7 No

From everyone at Oggs & Casinotabs, may we wish you all a very festive Christmas holiday, good cheer, happiness and lots of luck in 2010.

Posted in Articles, Betting, General, JC | 1 Comment »

The Greatest Grand National Gambles

Sunday, March 29th, 2009

Triumph and disaster walk hand in hand over Aintree’s hallowed turf, affecting horses, riders, trainers and, perhaps most of all, punters. For there have been many big gambles on the National that have ended up buried in that well-tended turf. But some have been landed – in style.

In the early days of the great race, bets were largely confined to private wagers between wealthy rival owners. One of the first public gambles was when the white-bearded Irishman Joseph Osborne took on the ring with spectacular success in 1850.

Osborne owned and trained Abd-El-Kader and backed his horse to complete the National-Lincolnshire Steeplechase double, wagering £150 for a potential win dividend of £10,000, a staggering sum in those far off days. The gamble was foiled when Osborne’s pride and joy swerved and ran outside a boundary marker in the Lincolnshire Steeplechase. But Osborne won a cool £4,000 when his runner landed the second leg of the double.

The following year, Abd-El-Kader started second favourite at 7-1 to retain his National crown, but Osborne reportedly managed to strike a bet of £10,000-£500. It was a desperate finish, but Abd-El-Kader was the winner by ‘half a neck’. In 1952 twenty-two-stone owner Harry Lane landed a coup almost as big as his waistline when he pulled off a six-figure success as Teal – a horse he bought for a mere £2,000 – won the big race.

But perhaps the biggest gamble of all, certainly in modern times, came when bingo hall operator Mike Futter landed a financial ‘full house’ when Monty’s Pass took the 2003 race. Futter started off by backing Monty’s Pass in small each-way bets at 66-1, 50-1 and 40-1 then later got a bit more serious with one reported wager of £9,000 each-way with Ladbrokes 16-1 His total return was thought to be in the region of £800,000, but like all good gambling stories we’ll probably never know the truth.

Not surprisingly, Futter was renamed Mr Flutter. He had certainly earned his new nickname.

Of course the bookmakers have taken hit after hit too over the years. The third and unequalled win by the most favourite Aintree horse of all time, Red Rum, in 1977, had many a bookie crying and hurting even though that year Red Rum was only second favourite behind the well backed Andy Pandy who fell at Becher’s Brook second time round. Red Rum is immortalised at the Liverpool course by being buried beside the famous finishing post and a large statue erected in his honour.

So those are just a few National triumphs and disasters. What will this year’s race add to racing’s history books?

You don’t have long to wait to find out… the big race is on Saturday April 4. I can’t wait.

Posted in Articles, Betting, Horse Racing | No Comments »