Category Archives: Football Betting

Real Madrid vs Barcelona on Instagram: The Last 6 months

The on-field rivalry between LaLiga giants Real Madrid vs Barcelona rivalry is matched by fierce competition off the pitch in the form of social media following.  I’ve been tracking the progress of these famous Spanish clubs over the past 6 months over different social media platforms.

Whilst Real continues to lead the way, the Catalans are making up ground fast.  The current state of play can be seen below (the table updates hourly, so what you see will have actually stayed current since the publishing of this article on 8th April 2019).

LaLiga social media followers

This really does illustrate how much of a 2 (maybe 3 if you include Atletico Madrid) team competition!

As of today, 8th April 2019, Barcelona are about to enter into a Champions League quarter-final with Manchester United, with Lionel Messi leading the way.  Real Madrid, on the other hand, are (for their high standards of success), not doing very well at all.  Knocked out of the Champions League already (by surprise package, Ajax) and sitting third behind Barcelona and Atletico Madrid in the LaLiga table, Los Blancos are suffering.

Losing their superstar player Cristiano Ronaldo seemed to have an almighty impact in terms of their success on the pitch and it was reflected on social media, and felt particularly hard on Instagram.  Using Instagram as the main measure for indication of player and club image and thus popularity/following, take a look at how the gap is narrowing:

Instagram following 8th April 2019.

The first data point was recorded in October 2018, when Real had a “lead” of 3,543,793 over Barca in Instagram followers.  Today, the Madrid club have surpassed 70 million followers and are to be congratulated on the achievement (70,552,670) – the first club in the world to reach the landmark.  Barcelona are, however, cutting the gap with 67,741,220 followers – and are now just 2,811,450 followers behind.  That is a difference in the size of the gap of 732,343 followers in just 25 weeks.

So how do we attribute this difference?  It can only really come down to three main factors: a) On-field success, b) The social media appeal of each clubs’ star players and c) The execution of the clubs’  Instagram accounts.

While the number of followers on social media might not at first seem like a very interesting point, it helps drive profits to clubs which they need to compete as the sums of money paid to players reaches more and more lofty levels.  At this rate, Barcelona look set to steak Real’s crown on Instagram in two years’ time.   However, as we know too well, Real Madrid don’t accept defeat in anything without a fight and will surely hit back in 2019/20 season.

 

 

World Top 20 Football Clubs on Social Media

The top clubs in the world have gathered quite a following across the different social media channels.  Here you’ll see how they stand as of today.  Some of the results here may come as something of a surprise.

World Top 20 Followed Football Clubs on Social Media

(Source: Footballpredictions.net)

This infographic is unique in that you can click through on it to reveal these social follower numbers for each club in real time.

Barcelona v Real Madrid Live Stream – UK El Clasico live streaming info

Barcelona v Real Madrid Live Stream – UK El Clasico live streaming info

Barcelona v Real Madrid Live Stream – UK El Clasico live streaming info

Barcelona v Real Madrid live streamYou’ll no doubt be eager to watch the Barcelona v Real Madrid live stream on Saturday at 15:15 UK time.  Unfortunately, El Clasico live streaming for UK viewers will NOT be available on terrestrial TV, Sky, BT or any of the usual suspects.  The good news, though, is that  you can still watch it – The only way that UK viewers can get a decent and legal stream is by having a funded account with online bookmakers bet365.

You could, of course, try one of those dodgy sites where you have to click away loads of seedy adverts and then quickly get fed up with the jerky, stop-start live streaming quality and maybe even get a virus on your PC.  Or, if you want to enjoy it on a quality, reliable stream you will be able to watch the Barcelona v Real Madrid live stream from kick off until full time from any tablet or mobile or perhaps even web enabled TV where you have Internet access.

How to get the Barcelona v Real Madrid live stream

You will need to go to bet365.com to acces the Barcelona v Real Madrid live stream.  If you’re already a customer there and have funds in your account, then you’re already good to go!

If you’ve not signed up, simply complete the registration process and make a deposit (there is no minimum amount).  Then you will be able to access the Barcelona v Real Madrid live stream when the match is on at 15:15 Saturday afternoon UK time.

 

Barcelona v Real Madrid live stream – Match preview

FC Barcelona are unbeaten in their last four home La Liga games, while Real Madrid are unbeaten in their last 17 away domestic league matches.  You’d expect this to be a tight match and Barca are currently the favourites.  In fact, odds on Real Madrid to win are as high as 3/1 at time of writing.

With Barcelona having lost twice already this season, and Madrid unbeaten, there is a six point gap between the two teams.  In fact, Barca are only above Sevilla (both on 27 points) on goal difference.  So why are they the favourites?  Simple – Barca just have to win this match and they generally lift for this massive fixture.  It’s El Clasico after all and there is home pride at stake, plus they simply they can’t afford to get further behind in the league at this stage.  To lose a six-pointer would be a real shock and they really need for Neymar to get back in the goals again after 7 games without one.  Unfortunately, Ex-Tottenham superstar Gareth Bale is missing for this game, and that lack of creativity does not help Real Madrid’s cause much at all.

One thing is for sure, though, there is always a huge buzz for this match (not just locally but around the world) and it’s another chance to savour the next chapter in the battle between Messi and Ronaldo as part of this quest for Spanish football supremacy.

Here’s that link again that you will need in order to access the Barcelona v Real Madrid live stream this Saturday at 15:15:


Want to know more about bet365? Take a look at our in-depth review of the bet365 Android app and bet365 iPhone app.  Check out this Wikipedia page about El Clasico to know more about the origins and history of the epic clash.

Why PSV Eindhoven are destined to defend their Eredivisie title this season

Last season, PSV Eindhoven pipped Ajax to the Eredivisie title on the final day of the season to send a clear statement of intent to their main rivals. Prior to the 2014/15 campaign, Ajax had won four consecutive titles but the pendulum and momentum in Dutch football has swung back in PSV’s favour – and if truth be told, it doesn’t look like changing anytime soon. The Eredivisie is still a two-horse race but PSV are at least a neck ahead right now…

Ajax lost Frank de Boer in the summer and the Dutch giants have struggled to replace him at the helm. Following De Boer’s departure, former Feyenoord technical director Peter Bosz was appointed as Ajax boss but his honeymoon period has been anything but successful. In fact, they were humiliated by FC Rostov in their Champions League qualifier and it is hard to imagine them bouncing back in the near future.

Meanwhile, PSV are on the rise and it wouldn’t be a huge surprise to see Eindhoven dominate the Eredivisie for the foreseeable future. Phillip Cocu has the club’s best interests at heart and has impressed during his time as head coach. Whilst PSV have lost a number of talented stars in recent times – Memphis Depay being the main one – they have managed to keep a sense of pride and team spirit in the dressing room.

At the time of writing, Cocu’s men are priced at 4/6 to win the title in Betway’s betting odds on their Dutch website. The defending champions are certainly looking strong after a couple of impressive performances early on in the season and Ajax will have to be at their very best to stand any chance of pipping PSV to the crown. After all, PSV have the continuity, the experience and the nous to retain their title for the third year in a row.

The lack of competition says a lot about the state of Dutch football. Holland were a major force in world football just a few decades ago but they are in a sorry mess right now. Guus Hiddink was dismissed after failing to lead The Netherlands to Euro 2016 and many will be expecting a positive backlash as they look to reach the 2018 World Cup in Russia – however, they face a very tough qualifying pool and Holland will have to be much improved.

Who knows, Ajax could improve and give PSV a stern test but it isn’t looking very likely right now. The Dutch giants are still way ahead of their other opponents but once again, the Eredivisie is a two-horse race; and one of those horses is looking strong whilst the other is very weak. PSV aren’t able to put up a stern fight in the Champions League but they are more than capable of defending their domestic crown without too much bother.

PSV needed all 38 matches to retain the title last season but Eindhoven look set to secure the crown in advance this time around. Ajax are getting worse whilst PSV are improving and that is why the champions will win a third successive crown. Barring a major change in fortune, PSV Eindhoven will close the gap at the top of Dutch football and continue to assert their dominance in recent times; they are just too consistent for Ajax to handle.

Useful apps to assist with your betting

With the new football season finally underway, bettors can get back into the habit of predicting outcomes or first goal scorers, building accumulators, and winning money.

Those who didn’t enjoy great returns last time out will want to begin this season with a bang, so it is important to prepare properly. Along with your preferred bookmakers, here are a few other useful apps that you could consider installing. They will stand you in good stead for when it comes to placing bets.

BBC Sport

The BBC sport app is perfect for giving you a strong and detailed overview of all the leagues you want to bet on. You can make selections based on your preferences, and receive news geared towards you. This can be particularly useful when you want to get quick information about other leagues.

If you are based in England, chances are that most of the news you will hear on TV is about the Premier League. With the BBC app you can get information about the Bundesliga, Ligue 1, La Liga, and other top flights. A quick exploration of the apps pages will give you detailed reports about Real Madrid’s starting line-up, for example, which is something that could be useful when selecting who to bet on, such as first goal scorer in the La Liga betting.

The app provides up to date news and analysis, along with fixture lists, results, and injury developments.

Stats Zone by FourFourTwo

This free app is for bettors that want to guide their decisions based on detailed stats. It goes beyond the usual facts about which players scored or picked up an assist, and shows detailed data about pass completion, chances created, touches in the final third, and total shots per game. This can put you at a distinct advantage when trying to guess the correct score line.

Hypothetically, if you can see that Arsenal had a total of 20 goal scoring opportunities in the last game and 40% of their shots were on target, you may wager that their attackers are gearing up for an onslaught on the next team they face. Weighing this data up with stats regarding the opposition’s defence could help you make a more informed decision than you would without such information.

Sky Go

Once you’ve gathered all the intelligence you can garner about the players and teams, and have made your betting selections, you probably want to watch the game to find out if you have been successful. Sky Go allows users to watch live matches while on the move, so no matter what you are doing you don’t miss out on a second of the action.

This means you can now go about your daily business, and run errands while also watching the football. If you want to place an in-play bet you can just minimise the app, put your bet on, and then reopen the app later to see if you have won.

So, if you are looking for ways to improve your chances of winning as well as generally enhance your football experience, check out these app downloads.

12/1 Odds for Manchester City to win the Premier League

12/1 Odds for Manchester City to win the Premier League

12/1 Odds for Manchester City to win the Premier League

Bookmakers Coral have come up with some enhanced odds for Manchester City to win the 2016/17 Premier League title.

Man City are the talk of the town after the appointment of Pep Guardiola as manager and the Spaniard has brought in some big name signings to bolster his already impressive ranks. The Citizens fell away from the title challenge last season and just about scraped Champions League football, but they look primed and ready to mount a serious assault this campaign. For a very limited time, new Coral customers can get 12/1 on City’s next EPL assault, with winnings paid in cash.  Limited as in this offer expires on Friday morning just before 8am.

Here are the details for this offer at Coral:

Man City to Win the Premier League – 12/1

Max bet £/€20,  Winnings Paid IN CASH, plus £/€5 free bet if your bet loses

Offer Start Time: 08:00 Thursday 11th August

Offer Ends: 07:59 Friday 12th August

 

 

 

 

 

Premier League 16/17 Betting Preview

Premier League 16/17 Betting Preview

Premier League 16/17 Betting Preview

If you were shipwrecked on a desert island over the past month or so, you might’ve missed the big name transfers & astronomical transfer fees exchanging hands over the summer. Not only have we got these top footballers joining the league but we have European football’s most iconic managers taking charge of some of the league’s biggest teams, as they attempt to apply their trade to the world’s most competitive top flight division.

Premier League to Win Outright Odds

2016-17 EPL Outright

Jose Mourinho’s drawn-out arrival at Manchester United is one such headline that has captured the spotlight (as he may have wanted), along with his signings of Ibrahimović, Pogba, Mkhitaryan and Bailly. All in all, this has resulted in the Premier League’s most crowned team being touted as 2nd favourites for the title at 10/3 (4.33) with bet365, despite their 5th place finish under Van Gaal last season. Ibra has a reputation for scoring goals wherever he goes, and it seems as though his transfer to United is not expected to be any different as the Swede is 9/1 (10.00) and 3rd favourite to be Top Goal scorer.  More on that market below.

The blue side of Manchester are outgunning their arch-rivals in the To Win Outright markets despite the big spending this summer however! Pep Guardiola, no stranger to his counterpart Mourinho of course, has taken charge of the 2013/14 Premier League winners Manchester City and like United, not only have they got a new and successful manager but they’ve also had an influx of big name players – Gundogan, Nolito, Sane, Stones and Zinchenko! The Cityzens are favourites for the Premier League title at 5/2 (3.50) with bet365 and Guardiola is clearly more than capable to guide them to their 3rd Premier League title! He’ll look to his main man Sergio Aguero to fire his side to the title, with the Argentine favourite for the Top Goal scorer title at 10/3 (4.33).

Some would say that Mourinho’s former side Chelsea have been flying well below the radar in the build up to this year’s campaign following a disastrous 2015/16 season which saw them finish in 10th position. This does of course mean that there’s no European football for their forthcoming campaign and this does supply a big advantage in light of the reduced fixture list. Hazard had a season to forget but it seemed that as soon as Mourinho exited the club, he found his form again and following some impressive performances at Euro 16’ with Belgium – he could well shine under new manager Antonio Conte. Hazard is 40/1 (41.00) to be top goal scorer and the Blues are 11/2 (6.50) for the Premier League title. Also, Chelsea are 13/8 (2.62) to be Top London Club at bet365, and following their exciting acquisitions of Premier League title winner N’Golo Kante and hot prospect Batshuayi; this could host some real value against their London rivals.

Top London Club Odds 2016/17

top london club

Both Arsenal and Spurs have both experienced lesser exciting summers following successful Top 4 2015/16 campaigns, although respective fans would prefer not to see their sides mentioned in the same market. Spurs have acquired Victor Wanyama and Dutch striker Vincent Jaansen, whilst Arsenal’s key signing is Xhaka. Some would argue that a more familiar squad could prove to be a real advantage for the forthcoming season but the lack of strengthening in key areas will have fans concerned.  This will make for particular anxiety for the Gunners who will once again rely on Sanchez to boost their goal scoring options, with the Chilean a 20/1 (21.00) shot to be Top Scorer. Spurs’ key striker Harry Kane surpassed all expectations last season and struck an impressive 25 goal haul to narrowly pip Sergio Aguero and Jamie Vardy by just a solitary goal to the Golden Boot title; and he’s 7/1 (8.00) to retain his Top Scorer crown despite some woeful Euro 16’ performances. Perhaps he’ll be given a break from taking corners now, which would probably help his cause.  Groan…

One further team that have made drastic changes this summer is Liverpool under Jürgen Klopp. The German did,of course, join Liverpool mid-way through last season’s campaign and only now is he having his influence on squad additions after guiding Liverpool to an 8th spot finish and 2 major yet unsuccessful finals with the Europa League and Capital One Cup. Over 12 players have now left the club to generate transfer funds that have been spent on new acquisitions such as Mane, Wijnaldum, Klarius, Klavan and Matip. Mane and Wijnaldum were both amongst the league’s top 5 goal scoring midfielder’s in the 2015/16 campaign so it’s clear to see that Klopp aims to add goals to his new-look side. Liverpool are very much outsiders for the title despite the big changes – 9/1 (10.00) with bet365 but like Chelsea, they have the benefit of a reduced fixture list with no European football this year. The last time this happened, they went so very close to claiming their first Premier League title in 25 years, with Suarez and Sturridge scoring for fun.

And who could forget about the English Champions, Leicester City. It’s fair to say that their 2015/16 campaign was a true inspiration and most likely a ‘once in a lifetime’ occurrence at 5000/1 but it was loved by football fans from across the globe. The reality has now settled in and Leicester City will be in the Champions League and are 100/1 (101.00) to win it unbelievably. They have of course lost their star midfielder Kante to Chelsea but have kept hold of key striker Jamie Vardy, whom is 16/1 (17.00) to be Top Scorer at bet365, and also 2015/16’s PFA Player of the Year Riyad Mahrez. The Foxes are a seemingly-withdrawn 28/1 (29.00) to retain their Premier League title but could well struggle with the burden of Champions League football expanding their fixture list.

Top Goalscorer Odds 2016/17

top goalscorer

In recent years, the Premier League newcomers have put up a great challenge and this has seen sides such as Watford and Swansea flourish, whilst Premier League regulars Newcastle and Aston Villa drop down into the Championship. This year’s promoted teams will of course be hoping to put up a solid fight of their own, and with Middlesbrough spending well in the summer on players such as Negredo and Valdes – they’re 4/5 (1.80) to be Top Newcomer, and 8/1 (9.00) To Finish in the Top Half of the league. Swansea, on the other hand, could be in for trouble ahead since they’ve now sold club captain Ashley Williams and key goal-threat Andre Ayew, they are 3/1 (4.00) to be relegated.

These odds were taken from bet365 today at 15:00 BST and of course will change marginally as the days wear on.  Not long to go now – here’s to another cracking season full of surprises and great football.

Barcelona v Leicester Live Stream

Barcelona v Leicester Live Stream

Barcelona v Leicester Live Stream

The International Champions Cup final stages are approaching with Barcelona v Leicester live stream action available from bookmaker bet365.   For UK and Irish audiences, the Barcelona v Leicester live stream can be accessed by logging on to a funded bet365 account. So, if you already have an account, just press on the link below and watch the game live for free.  If you don’t have an account with bet365 yet, you can also sign up and claim up to £200 in deposit bonuses.

 

If you’re looking for a Barcelona v Leicester live stream for your mobile device, you can still get this via bet365 for Android or bet365 for iPhone.

In this intriguing pre-season tournament, reigning Spanish Champions Barcelona and Premier League winners Leicester City meet for the first ever time in the International Champions Cup (Wednesday 8pm). The highly anticipated match takes place at a neutral venue – in Stockholm, Sweden.

Regular Spanish Champions Barca have amassed no less than 25 La Liga titles, whilst  the Foxes have just stunned everyone (even themselves) by earning a place in this tournament after being crowned Champions.  Wouldn’t we like to see them take it right to the Nou Camp outfit.  Jamie Vardy has been ruled out of the match but surely some of the Barcelona stars will be rested.

Barcelona v Leicester Live Stream Timing Details

Match Date:       3rd August 2016 (Wednesday)

Location:            Stockholm, Sweden

Kickoff:               8:00 pm GMT

If you’re in regions other than the UK or Ireland, you can catch it on these channels:

TV Broadcasting

  • beIN Sports Arabia 1 HD
  • Star Sports 4 Asia
  • ESPN Play Latin America
  • Idman TV
  • QQ Sports Live

Form guide: Barcelona v Leicester

The Catalan giants started off their first pre-season match against Scottish Champions Celtic, beating them 3-0. English League Champions Leicester City played also beat Celtic in a penalty shootout, but were thrashed 4-0 by Zlatan-less PSG, the French Champions.

Barcelona Squad

Joel Masip; Sergi Roberto, Jeremy Mathieu, Douglas Pereira, Aleix Vidal; Arda Turan, Sergi Samper; Denis Suarez, Lionel Messi, Luis Suarez, Christian Tello.

Leicester City FC Squad

Schmeichel, de Laet, Simpson, Fuchs, Hernandez, Drinkwater, Albrighton, Mahrez, Vardy, Gray, Musa, Schlupp

Euro 2016 Hots Up

Following some shock Euro 2016 results in the group stages, there are no less than five former World Champions on one side of the draw.  England and Spain have both will both be regretting not being able to finish top of their groups. These teams gave have now drifted in the betting to Win Outright, with bet365 now pricing Spain at 11/2 (6.50) and England at 10/1 (11.0). Both of these prices have appeal though, especially given the insurance of the Penalty Payback promotion, which guarantees that if the team you back to win Euro 2016 is eliminated on penalties bet365 will refund your losing bet (terms and conditions apply).

Other teams heading the To Win Outright market include tournament hosts France at 4/1 (5.0), Germany at 9/2 (5.50), Belgium at 6/1 (7.0) and Croatia at 7/1 (8.0).

The last 16 draw has produced some really fascinating clashes and on Saturday we have the Swiss against the Polish to get things started, followed by an all-British clash when Wales and Northern Ireland meet before Croatia try to overcome Portugal in the evening. All of these games could realistically go either way, with no team from the three fixtures currently priced at odds-on to win in 90 minutes. Sunday’s action looks to be more predictable, with France up first against Republic of Ireland, Germany then facing Slovakia and finally Belgium up against Hungary. On Monday we have the tie of the round as Italy take on Spain, and that’s followed by England’s game against Iceland to round things off. A treble on Wales, Croatia and Belgium all to win in 90 minutes is priced at 7.74/1 (8.74), and looks a solid bet.

So far the Euro 2016 tournament has seen tightly-contested games and with the pressure increasing as we reach the knockout stage that’s unlikely to change. bet365 have reportedly already refunded £6m to customers from the four goalless matches in the group stages through the Bore Draw Money Back offer, which refunds all losing pre-match bets on selected markets.

For the knockout stages this means you can back the likes of Welsh wizard Gareth Bale to score first against Northern Ireland at 3/1 (4.0), West Ham forward Dimitri Payet to score first against Republic of Ireland at 5/1 (6.0).  Another interesting one is Cristiano Ronaldo to score first against Croatia at 15/4 (4.75), safe in the knowledge that your bet will be refunded if the game finishes goalless after 90 minutes.

There are also some very good things happening at William Hill for the Euros.  Check out their app here.

Euro 2016 Money Back: Penalty Payback & Bore Draw

Euro 2016 Money Back: Penalty Payback & Bore Draw

Euro 2016 Money Back: Penalty Payback & Bore Draw

Here are two offers worth keeping in mind for the remainder of the Euro 2016 tournament from bet365.  These are available across all web and mobile (Android, iPhone et al) channels.

Europe’s biggest online bookmaker is offering money back specials on two fronts:

Euro 2016 Bore Draw – Money back if there’s a 0-0 draw on selected markets.  See this link for details

As well as…

Euro 2016 Penalty Payback – Get your money back if your team is eliminated on penalties.


These offers seem to bring some sense of ‘fairness’ to betting! Good luck with whoever you are backing at Euro 2016.

Stoke City Rename Home to bet365 Stadium & Expand Seating

Stoke City will be playing at the bet365 Stadium for their Premier League matches from the start of the new 2016/17 season. The Potters have signed a six-year naming rights deal with the sports betting brand, whose bosses have owned the club for more than a decade.

Fans and commentators will have to get used to referring to the ground as ‘bet365 Stadium’ rather than the ‘Britannia Stadium’ and also a new look.  It will be expanded to a capacity of over 30,000 seats in time for the new season.  Stoke City bet365 stadiumThat’s an additional 1,800 seats that are being added to one of the corners of the ground of the bet365 Stadium.  The developments on the expansion will mean that the area between the DPD and Marston’s Pedigree Stands will be filled in by builders.

Use of bet365 Stadium name a growing trend

The selling of naming rights on football grounds has become a worldwide trend as clubs try to maximise the limited amount of ways that a club can generate money to try and keep with the chasing pack.  Stoke’s continuing partnership with the bet365 sees an additional extension of their shirt sponsorship agreement to three more years.  More money in the coffers for the Potters there, too.  Bet365 have been extremely successful with the growth of online sports betting during the last decade.  The introduction of mobile betting on Android and iPhone Devices has certainly extended the company’s reach.

Other notable clubs who don’t have naming rights at their home grounds (yet) include Tottenham Hotspur’s White Hart Lane, Manchester United’s Old Trafford, Liverpool’s Anfield and Chelsea’s Stamford Bridge.  With ground moves for Spurs and Chelsea afoot, this is likely to change, though.  In fact, Tottenham have already shown images of their new stadium with a “Naming Rights” placeholder. It makes a lot of sense for football clubs to do this, despite meaning that the traditional name of their home is sometimes lost.

After announcing the news of the name change, Stoke Chief Executive Tony Scholes commented: ‘The Premier League is constantly evolving and to ensure Stoke City remain as competitive as possible it’s important we explore as many ways as possible of generating revenue. As supporters are no doubt aware the Britannia brand no longer exists and it was important we attracted a new stadium naming rights partner.’

With the name change of the Britannia Stadium to the bet365 Stadium, Stoke have joined fellow Premier League clubs including Leicester City (King Power) Arsenal (Emirates), Manchester City (Etihad), Bournemouth (Vitality) in having one of their club’s main sponsors adorn the name of their home ground.

Bet365 is a local Stoke company and the Coates family have a long association with the club. Realistically, the Potters very likely would not be in the lofty position that they find themselves today without such support.  John Coates, who is the joint chief executive of bet365 is also vice-chairman of Stoke City.

The previous sponsors of the newly renamed bet365 Stadium were Britannia but this is now no longer a brand since being taken over by the Co-operative Bank. Their ground sponsorship deal lasted for almost 20 years.  Scholes said that the club felt that the ‘time was right’ to redevelop the corner of the ground between the DPD and Marston’s Pedigree Stands after long having the planning permission approved.

The Stoke-on-Trent success story of bet365 is the city’s largest private sector employer with around 3,000 employees.  The Potters will be hoping that this timely boost in their revenue will help them to push higher up the Premier League table.

Man Utd v Bournemouth – Last Chance

So with the Premier League football season coming to a conclusion this evening, it’s your last chance to bet on a match for 2015/16.  Man Utd v Bournemouth may be a dead rubber with United out of next year’s Champions League at the expense of rivals Manchester City and the Cherries happy to have avoided the drop.

Check out the odds above from bet365, and you can of course get the app for Android and iPhone right here on BettingAppStore.

Value Bets & Boosted Odds for the Capital One Cup Final

Value Bets & Boosted Odds for the Capital One Cup Final

Value Bets & Boosted Odds for the Capital One Cup Final

The bookmakers have come up with some tempting deals for today’s League Cup (Capital One Cup) Final at Wembley Stadium.  Check these offers out before the all expire just prior to kick off this afternoon at 16:30.

10/1 Liverpool to Win – New Paddy Power customers

8/1 Man City to Lift the Trophy – New Coral customersliverpool-klopp

14/1 Liverpool to Win in Extra Time – All bet365 customers

bet365 have loads of markets available for all customers on the Capital One Cup Final including 14/1 for the Reds to win in extra time or 12/1 either side to win on penalties.

 

Good luck with your selections for the Cup final.

Value Bet Alerts for Champions League Tues & Wed Nights

It’s getting down to the business end of the Champions League again and the bookmakers are coming out with some cracking Champions League deals for betting on the big European nights. We’ve picked out the best value bets for the midweek clashes and as you will see, some are looking very generous indeed…

25/1 Champions League treble: Barcelona, Bayern Munich and Manchester City all to win

Yes, an astounding offer from Paddy Power, this. It’s for new customers of the Irish bookie and is available until 19:45 Tuesday night when the first of these matches kicks off. Maximum bet is a tenner.


 

16/1 Arsenal to beat Barcelona

Given that Arsenal are just two points from the top of the Premier League summit, we reckon these odds for a home Gunners victory are overpriced to say the least.  Of course, Messi, Neymar, Suarez & Co will have other ideas but anything can happen.

For new Paddy Power customers only, this one, with a £/€10 maximum bet.  Fill your boots, Arsenal fans, and if your team wins it should be known as “Arselona” from here on in…


 

8/1 Barcelona to beat Arsenal

This new customer offer comes from Coral and it really does make sense to pick up a new account with them if you haven’t already because these are the best odds on a Barca win that you are ever likely to see. Get Barca to win at 8/1 (£/€5 Bet Only) PLUS £/€5 Free Bet should your bet lose Winnings paid as a free bet. Kick off Tues 23/02/2016 (19:45 UK)


 

7/1 Manchester City to beat Dynamo Kiev

The kick off for this match is 19:45 on Wednesday night, so if you fancy a bit of City for an away win then this is the time to grab it, again for new Paddy Power customers only and £/€10 maximum bet.


 

We hope that you enjoy getting maximum benefit from these Champions League special offers and we’ll continue to bring you more of the best bookie odds when they come in.

Enhanced Odds Champions League inc. Chelsea, Arsenal, United & City

Enhanced Odds Champions League inc. Chelsea, Arsenal, United & City

Enhanced Odds Champions League inc. Chelsea, Arsenal, United & City

Here’s an update from the major bookmakers on the Champions League matches taking place on Tuesday and Wednesday night this week. You can get some nice little earners with some of these deals if you are a new customer to the following bookies…

Dynamo Kiev v Chelsea FC

For new William Hill customers – Get a price boost of 4/1 if Costa scores & Chelsea beat Kiev.  Details here.

Bayern Munich v Arsenal FC

For new Coral customers: 7/1 Bayern Munich to beat Arsenal.  See details here.

Champions League Treble: Bayern, Barca & Chelsea

Get a whopping 20/1 if Bayern Munich, Barcelona & Chelsea all win + £10 weekly.  This is just in from Paddy Power for new customers, and to claim this one see the details here.

Manchester United to beat CSKA Moscow

From Paddy Power for new customers. Kickoff 19:45 Wednesday – get 8/1 on Manchester United to beat CSKA Moscow PLUS stake £10 weekly and get over £300 in free bets until the end of the EPL season.  Offer details here.

Here are some rumours of potential Arsenal signings that may or may not come true.

Live Streaming Update: Barca, Real Madrid, Bayern Munich & more

Live Streaming Update: Barca, Real Madrid, Bayern Munich & more

Live Streaming Update: Barca, Real Madrid, Bayern Munich & more

Here’s news just in from bet365, summarising upcoming fixtures as well as new live streaming direct from their site/mobile app.  

The international break is almost at an end with a mouth-watering selection of fixtures announcing the return of league football in style this weekend, and bet365 are offering a host of fantastic betting and Live Streaming opportunities!

Premier League

The fixture grabbing all the headlines at the moment is Tottenham v Liverpool, as Jürgen Klopp takes the reigns at Liverpool in what will be his managerial debut in the Premier League. The self-proclaimed Normal One was welcomed to Merseyside with rabid anticipation by Liverpool fans and the liverpool-kloppGerman has promised the Anfield faithful a title in the next four years. The weight of expectation will be enormous for the former Dortmund manager, but whether he can deliver three points at the weekend using the current Liverpool squad is debatable. Tottenham are arguably one of the form teams in the league at the moment, beating first-placed Manchester City in a 4-1 thriller recently. Liverpool are without captain Jordan Henderson and summer signings Christian Benteke and Roberto Firmino whilst Spurs are without Son Heung Min and a few periphery players.

Spurs are narrow favourites to take the win at White Hart Lane at 7/5 (2.40) and are unbeaten at home in the league this season, whilst The Reds are a touch longer at 15/8 (2.87). Many will be backing Daniel Sturridge to find the net again this weekend after scoring two goals against Villa recently and he’s 5/1 (6.00) to score first or last and 6/4 (2.50) to find the net anytime. Having forced his way into the Spurs squad and more recently the England team, Dele Alli has seen plenty of speculative backing to score this weekend, and he’s 10/3 (4.33) to do just that.

Chelsea will be looking to get back to winning ways after a disastrous few weeks, and are 1/3 (1.33) to break their duck against Aston Villa in a particularly inviting home fixture. Villa have lost their last four Premier League games and since their opening day win against newly-promoted Bournemouth have gained just one point from seven matches. In the last six seasons Chelsea have won their home matches against Aston Villa by an aggregate score of 24-8, and both teams have recorded only one clean sheet each this season in the league, so goals should be on the cards. Eden Hazard is 11/2 (6.50) to net first in the encounter, and scored in both games during the international break for Belgium with two assists and a goal in his last three Premier League matches. A slightly riskier option to consider though is Willian at 10/1 (11.00). He has scored Chelsea’s last three goals, and also bagged a brace for Brazil in their World Cup Qualifier this week against Venezuela.

La Liga

Over in La Liga title heavyweights Real Madrid and Barcelona are both suffering injury crises and entertain Levante and Rayo Vallecano respectively. bet365 will be Live Streaming all the action so you can watch the likes of Luis Suarez, Neymar and Ronaldo as they blitz through their Barcelona_Messi_2competition at will. News from Spain this week is suggesting that Barcelona are in big trouble, with many of their key players facing time on the side-lines with injuries. Summer signing Arda Turan is still not able to play for the Blaugrana and it’s being reported that Barca will petition the Court of Arbitration for Sport to overturn their transfer embargo in a last-ditch effort to bolster their squad. In spite of this, they’re heavy favourites to dispatch Rayo with ease and are priced 1/7 (1.14) to take the three points on Saturday. Suarez and Neymar are both expected to start and both find themselves short-priced to score in the encounter, with the Uruguayan coming in at 2/5 (1.40) and Neymar priced at 4/11 (1.36). Los Blancos will be lining up without the likes of Karim Benzema, James Rodriguez, Luka Modric and centre back pairing Ramos and Pepe which may leave Real Madrid manager Rafa Benitez with a selection headache on Saturday. Regardless Real are 1/12 (1.083) to come through on the day and 13/8 (2.62) to do so with Levante managing to notch a consolation goal.

Bundesliga

bet365 are also streaming plenty of Bundesliga action this weekend with the highlight being Bayern Munich’s trip to Werder Bremen. Bayern’s season so far has been spectacular and many fancy them to lift the Champions League come the end of the season. The Bavarians will be Bayern_Munich_Mullerkeen to maintain their 100% start in the league and they are 1/5 (1.20) to do so, with the aggregate score from their last three trips to the Weserstadion 13-0. Thomas Müller (pictured, right) has been in imperious form for Bayern this season, scoring 10 goals in 11 games in all competitions and he is 3/1 to score first on Saturday. Equally Robert Lewandowski is arguably one of the hottest properties in international football at the moment and his sensational performances this season have seen him net 16 goals in just 11 games in all competitions. With the mercurial Polish captain being in such staggering form, he is the favourite to open the scoring on Saturday at 2/1 (3.00).

All of the fixtures in the Premier League, La Liga, Bundesliga, Serie A and Champions League are eligible for bet365’s fantastic Euro Soccer Bonus offer which pays a bonus of up to 100% on multiple bets placed with bet365. The excellent Bore Draw Money Back offer is also available on any football match with bet365, which offers refunds on bets placed on certain markets are refunded where a match ends 0-0, ensuring that a bore draw is never the worst result for your bets!

New customers can take advantage of the industry-leading 100% deposit bonus, which allows customers to claim a bonus on their first deposit, and customers enjoying bet365’s mobile products can take advantage of the On The Move Bonus which matches the first qualifying bet placed on the premium mobile site with a bonus.

Bet365 Signup Page (inc £200 deposit bonus)

 

Super Sunday Rivals – A Real Football Betting Feast

Super Sunday Rivals – A Real Football Betting Feast

Super Sunday Rivals – A Real Football Betting Feast

It’s another football-packed week for football with the next round of Champions League fixtures.  And looking ahead, next Sunday 4th October sees  a day of back-to-back betting possibilities with some truly mouth-watering fixtures scheduled,including some great derbies.

13:30 BST – Everton v Liverpool

Super Sunday kicks off in a big way with the massive Merseyside Derby. These sides have met 224 times since 1894. The last 2 results have ended in draws, which is reflected in the current odds. Liverpool, however, are the marginal favourites and will be pleased to have long-time absentee Daniel Sturridge available after coming back from injury. His 2 goal haul at the weekend will have given the Anfield outfit greater confidence in front of goal and Christian_Bentekenow Sturridge has overtaken Torres and Suarez as Liverpool’s most prolific goal scorer in the Premier League era with a 0.65 goals per game ratio. Everton do feature in the Monday night fixture tonight but have done very well in the last month and do have the superior goals for and goals against record so far when compared to their rivals, with a 3-1 win over Chelsea a key highlight. They’ll look to cause further distress to an anxious Brendan Rodgers who will be desperate to avoid another defeat and he’ll be hoping that Christian Benteke (right) will be fully fit after his hamstring problems of late.

One thing is a dead certainty – it’ll be a full-blooded affair, with the fixture producing an incredible 20 red cards since the Premier League began; the highest of any fixture. Over 2.5 goals is a tempting 1/1 (2.00) with bet365.


 

16:00 BST – Arsenal v Manchester United

Following on from the Merseyside Derby, we have a huge fixture between current title-contenders Arsenal and Man Utd. The sides have met 221 times, with some memorable results over the years, including a phenomenal 8-2 United win back in 2011. Rooney has bagged the most goals in this fixture over these years, and would be a good option to score first here. ArsenalArsenal are favourites for the tie and will be very pleased with Alexis Sanchez’s manutdreturn to goal scoring ways following a brilliant hat-trick at the weekend, and he could well strike again now the flood gates have opened. United also secured a strong win at the weekend and currently top the Premier League table with the league’s joint-top defensive record, so it will be a true test for both sides who will look to continue recent form. Over 3.5 goals looks good value at 2/1 (3.00) despite United’s defensive record.


 

16:30 BST – Bayern Munich v B Dortmund

First of all, bet365 will be live streaming this fixture with exclusions applying to Germany, Austria, Italy, Luxemburg, Liechtenstein, Switzerland, San Marino and the USA.

Bayern Munich have of course dominated the league for years, and this one has been no different thus far – topping the table with 7 wins from 7 games, scoring 23 goals in the process. germanyDortmund are 2nd in the chase however, but are 4 points shy of their rivals.

Following on from his incredible five goal haul in nine minutes against Wolfsburg, Lewandowski bagged a further 2 against Mainz at the weekend. The Pole is on fire and will be a great choice to score against Dortmund. Dortmund have had back to back score-draws in recent weeks, so Both Teams to Score (BTTS) will be a stand-out option at 8/15 (1.53), or Over 2.5 goals at 1/2 (1.50).


 

19:30 BST – Atletico Madrid v Real Madrid

This second Derby of the day comes from Madrid, with just two points separating the sides in the 2015/16 campaign so far, so this is an early title-credentials test for both sides.

Villarreal caused a real upset at the weekend, defeating Atletico 1-0 to go top of the table. This will put pressure on Atletico to avoid back-to-back losses when facing their neighbours on real-madridSunday, but with Los Blancos so far undefeated in the league campaign and hungry to gain ground, it could be a very cagey affair. 2014/15 offered up 6 matches between the Madrid sides in all competitions extraordinarily, which led to 3 draws, 2 Atletico wins and 1 Real win in total; with an average of 1.6 goals per game. A Draw and Under 2.5 goals is 3/1 (4.0).

Bet365 are also live streaming this colossal fixture, but similarly to above, exclusions do apply and it’s not available in Spain, Middle East, North Africa, Andorra and the USA.

Premier League Predictions for Week 5 of the EPL

Premier League Predictions for Week 5 of the EPL

Premier League Predictions for Week 5 of the EPL

In the latest of his regular column, we publish Ed Cashmore’s week 5 Premier League predictions…

Saturday

Everton 1-2 Chelsea (12:45)

Which Everton will turn up this week at Goodison I wonder and think it will be Mr Hyde.  John Stones may be feeling a little sheepish facing his pursuers but it is a good opportunity to show what they missed out on.  With the main ‘keeper out for Chelsea, they have great back up with Begovic and John Terry should start after returning from suspension, so no problems at the back really.  The Blues need to start winning and now should be the time.

Go for the Chelsea win.

Arsenal 2-0 Stoke

It’s hard to see a Stoke team who have yet to win a game this season breaking that habit against the Gunners at the Emirates.   Home fans should see their team win for the first time this season and leave Stoke searching for their first three point result.

Arsenal to win.

Crystal Palace 2-3 Manchester City

Top of the table clash – and who would have thought it would involve the Eagles?  It is early days, however, and this will be the perfect opportunity for City’s star-studded line-up to show Palace who’s boss.  Crystal Palace have been great value so far this season but I can’t see them outlasting the Citizens.

In April, Palace beat City at Selhurst Park, and Pellegrini will be out to square the ledger.

City to win away.

Norwich 3-1 Bournemouth

The Canaries are improving with each outing since promotion and they should have enough goals in them to win this one at Carrow Road.  I think that this game has the potential to be a cracker, with both teams going for it.

Norwich to get the home win.

Watford 1-1 Swansea

It’s been a pleasure watching Swansea’s attacking play this term and most pundits would probably expect the likes of Gomis, Ayew and Montero to ply their trade well here.  After all, this is the team who just defeated Mourinho’s reigning champions.

However, Watford at home should provide stiff resistance and the Hornets and Swans could well share the spoils.

Go for the draw at Watford.

West Brom City 1-2 Southampton

Southampton were shocking early in the season and they got much better against Norwich City. It’s understandable though, as star players Wanyama and Mane were subject to much transfer window speculation.

The Baggies’ Berahino was in the same boat and despite his bitter tweet after being subject to failed offers from Spurs, he’s been training and could well play.  Although it’s hard not to go for a draw here, I am predicting a Saints away win.

Man United 1-1 Liverpool 17:30

Neither of these two are setting the Premier League on fire at the moment, and often this fixture ends in a draw.  No one wants to lose this one and it should be close all the way.

I feel a draw coming on.


 

Sunday

Sunderland 1-2 Tottenham

I keep saying that Spurs will get their first win and they have let me down so far.  However, with new signings likely to play and with Harry Kane in goalscoring form again, things should change on Sunday.

Sunderland are also looking desperately for their first win and they will look to ex-loanee and now new signing Fabio Borini for inspiration.  For Spurs, Clinton N’jie could make start if fully fit and Heung-Min Son the same.  They certainly need to add a new dimension to a team who have lacked creativity with the absence of Christian Eriksen.

Eriksen should return, flanked by Son on the right and Chadli on the left, with Kane the lone front man.  At the other end, Jermain Defoe will be the main threat to his former team.

Tottenham to win away.

Leicester 3-1 Aston Villa 16:00

The Foxes have been going for it and reaping the rewards this season.  Villa have not been looking too confident on the other hand and I expect Leicester to overcome them pretty comfortably.

The tip is for a convincing home win.


 

Monday

West Ham 2-2 Newcastle United 20:00

With West Ham looking to reverse their home form with a win and Newcastle searching for their first win of any description, a home win would be expected by most.  This is a bit of a coin toss for me, and for that reason it points to a likely draw.

Points shared at Upton Park.

That’s the Premier League Predictions for Week 5 in the EPL.
Good luck – @edcashmoretips

Premier League Predictions for Week 4 of the EPL

Premier League Predictions for Week 4 of the EPL

Premier League Predictions for Week 4 of the EPL

Here are the week 4 Premier League predictions.  ….

Sat, 29th August 12:45

Newcastle United 1-1 Arsenal

The first kick off again features Newcastle United, this time up against Arsenal at St James’ Park. What with the Magpies still searching for their first win, things are not made any easier with the visit of the Gunners.  They will be proud of holding Manchester United away though and I predict another draw this time around despite what the bookies say.  I got this one right last week against all odds, by the way!

Go for the draw.


Sat, 29th August 15:00

Aston Villa 2-1 Sunderland

Things at Villa have been very inconsistent but Sunderland are even more unpredictable.  That said, Villa Park is a hard place to go to and the home side should probably just squeeze this one.

Villa to win.

Bournemouth 1-2 Leicester

The Foxes visit the seaside and if they can continue their form as shown away at Spurs they should be able to grab at least a share of the points here.  However, the Cherries had their historic first top-fight win and will be buoyant at home.  That said, West Ham had a shocker and invited the win.  This time around I think Leicester should just prevail.

Foxes to win.

Chelsea 3-1 Crystal Palace

Hard to see Chelsea not winning again, despite missing  John Terry at the back after his sending off last week.  Palace have done so well to get 6 points already even though they have faced good teams.  Go for a Chelsea home win.

Liverpool 4-1 West Ham

How on earth did the Hammers beat Arsenal in the opener?  Since then they have been awful and I can see them being well beaten here by a Liverpool team playing well.

Go for the Liverpool win at Anfield.

Manchester City 4-0 Watford

The newcomers visit the mega rich table toppers and there is only one result going to happen here unless something crazy happens. I am predicting a City win.

 

Stoke City 2-2 West Bromwich Albion

The Potters are looking solid at the moment and Albion really need their maiden win of the season.  This could be a very tight affair with two closely matched teams.  The Berahino saga looks to be over now and particularly if he plays the Baggies will improve.

Should Stoke win, they could have a really good season ahead but I feel a draw coming on.

Tottenham 3-2 Everton 17:30

Spurs keep getting ahead and letting their opposition get back into the game this season and Pochettino has to sort that out.  That has let my tips down over the last few weeks. Sorry folks. However, winless Spurs simply must break out of that immediately or their season is looking very poor.  Only 2 points and they could have had 6 easily. That’s not top four material. Everton on the other hand are looking pretty good and this game should be a close one.

Tottenham to shade it.


 

Sunday 30th August

Southampton 3-1 Norwich 13:30

The Saints crashed out of the Europa League on Thursday and no doubt will be fully focused on this match.  Could be a good thing.  Norwich are looking like a decent team, exceeding most punters’ expectations, but they will probably find it tough going at St Mary’s.

The tip is for a convincing home win.

 

Swansea 2-1 Man United 16:00

Both Swansea and Manchester United are undefeated in the Premier League so far.  With United sealing Champions League football during the week, they could just take their foot off the pedal here and succumb to some Swansea vigour.

It’s a risk but I think that Swansea will beat United.  There, I said it.


 

 

That’s the Premier League Predictions for Week 4 in the EPL.
Good luck – @edcashmoretips

Premier League Predictions for Week 3 of the EPL

Premier League Predictions for Week 3 of the EPL

Premier League Predictions for Week 3 of the EPL

Here are the week 3 Premier League predictions.  Weeks 1 & 2 have given tipsters everywhere some real challenges as we find out which teams have spent (and continue to spend) wisely or otherwise over the break.

Sat, 22nd August 12:45

Manchester United 1-1 Newcastle United
manutd

The first kick off again features Man United, this time up against Newcastle at OT.And United are managing to grind out wins again – difficult to see them not doing it again.  Newcastle United haven’t won away from home for 8 games. However, I’ve a feeling that this one won’t go according for plan today and the points can be shared.

Go for the draw.


Saturday , 22nd August 15:00

Crystal Palace 2-1 Aston Villa

Palace have shown what thy are capable of already and I fancy them to beat Villa today.  It’s early on in the season but if they play like they have been so far then it should be a good season for them.  Losing to Arsenal was a much more difficult game than this one looks to be.

Palace to win.

Leicester City 1-2 Tottenham Hotspur

With City flying high there will be great expectation from the King Kane at the LanePower today.  Can the Foxes stay at the summit of the table for much longer? Spurs have yet to win a match and have found Liecester tricky in the last couple of seasons.  However, surely Tottenham will have to find their form and grind out a win to get their campaign on track.  Won’t they?

Tottenham to win.

Norwich City 1-1 Stoke Ciy

Hard to forecast the result for this one so I have elected for the score draw in this tale of two cities. Norwich City have drawn their last 2 away games but have not won away from home in the last 6 attempts.

Go for the draw win at Carrow Road.

Sunderland 1-3 Swansea City

The Black Cats are not looking great so far whereas the Swans are firing.  The form book would suggest that Swansea should be able to grab all three points at the Stadium of Light.  Go for a Swansea away win.

West Ham 2-2 Bournemouth

The Hammers are looking like a bit of Jekyll & Hyde team already and you would fully expect them to get a win at home given their first week win over Arsenal.  But they faltered against Leicester at home last week so this is tinged with uncertainty.  That said, Bournemouth look to be lacking that cutting edge.  Although the Hammers should win on paper, I am predicting a draw.


Sun , 23rd August

West Brom 0-2 Chelsea 13:30

It’s time for Chelsea’s first win of the season, even if they don’t have the best of records at The Hawthorns. The Blues have not beaten West Bromwich Albion away from home in the last 4 games and have not won away from home for 2 games.  Surely, given the poor start that Chelsea has made, that trend will be bucked.

Chelsea for an away win.

Everton 1-3 Man City 16:00

Everton, unimpressive in week 1, came back with a superb performance last time out.  If they were to carry that forward at Goodison against Man City, they might stand a chance of getting something from this.  However, the Citizens are looking awesome as early season Championship favourites and should not be denied.  Everton has not beaten Manchester City in their last 4 league games and have not won at home for the last 3 games (2 losses and a draw).

Manchester City to win.

Watford 1-1 Southampton 16:00

The Hornets at home could well be a challenge for the Saints, and the home support they’ll enjoy can earn them a share of the points.

The tip is for a score draw.


 

Mon 24th August 2015

Arsenal 2-1 Liverpool 20:00

Liverpool has not beaten Arsenal away from home in their last 3 attempts in the league, and also lost at the Emirates in the fifth round of the FA Cup last year.  The omens are pointing to a narrow Arsenal win.


 

That’s the Premier League Predictions for Week 3 in the EPL.
Good luck – @edcashmoretips

La Liga Live Streaming – Every Match for 2015-16

La Liga Live Streaming – Every Match for 2015-16

La Liga Live Streaming – Every Match for 2015-16

News just in is that bet365 have secured the rights to provide Live Streaming of every La Liga match for the 2015-16 season. The streaming will not be available to customers in Spain, the Middle East and North Africa so if you’re outside of those regions then you’re in luck. 

bet365’s excellent Bore Draw Money Back and Euro Soccer Bonus promotions are available for all La Liga games also.

Click here to go directly to bet365 and check it out.

The 2015/16 campaign gets underway on Saturday with Atletico Madrid hosting newly promoted Las Palmas. Diego Simeone’s side enjoyed a solid campaign last season, despite not living up to successes of 2013-14 when they won the Primera Liga title and reach the final of the Champions League. Atletico have lost some key players in recent seasons but are 2/9 (1.22) favourites for a successful start at bet365, or 11/4 (3.75) to win by 2 goals or more.

Barca were phenomenal last season and begin their title defence with a tough away fixture at Athletic Bilbao, whom secured the UEFA Super Cup with a 5-1 aggregate victory over the Catalan Barcelona_Messi_2giants to earn their first trophy in 31 years. Despite the loss, Barca are favourites going into the match, priced at 4/9 (1.44) whilst Bilbao are 9/5 (2.80) to win or hold Barcelona to a draw with bet365.

Runners-up Real Madrid face newly promoted Sporting de Gijón in what will be Rafa Benitez’s first competitive match as Real Madrid boss. In the face of a trophy-less season, Champions League winner Carlo Ancelotti was sacked by Los Blancos and it remains to be seen how Rafa will make use of the players at his disposal. Welsh superstar Gareth Bale looks set to remain at the Bernabéu for another season and he’ll be eager to silence his critics following last season and he’s 15/4 (4.75) to bag the first goal. Gijón are 11/1 (12.00) outsiders at bet365, but more realistic odds lie with Ronaldo, Benzema and Bale to score anytime at 8/15 (1.53), 4/5 (1.80) and 10/11 (1.90) respectively.

bet365 is available on mobile too – see our reviews for Android  & iOS users.

Value Bet Alert: 6/1 Man Utd to Win to Nil + £20 Free Bet if you Lose

Value Bet Alert: 6/1 Man Utd to Win to Nil + £20 Free Bet if you Lose

Value Bet Alert: 6/1 Man Utd to Win to Nil + £20 Free Bet if you Lose

A new customer offer from Coral. Get 6/1 odds on Manchester United to win to nil against Club Brugge in their Champions League Qualifier tonight PLUS £20 Free Bet if you lose. £5 bet only.

The Champions League heads to Old Trafford tonight for the first time in what feels like forever, or at least a season!   The Red Devils have started the Champions League in a solid if manutdunspectacular fashion, securing 1-0 wins against both Tottenham and Aston Villa.

When faced with a team that have not reached the group stages of the competition since the 2005/6 season we reckon that old hands Man United will secure not just a win but also a clean sheet against the Belgian outfit.

Click below to see details.

Click for Details (new Coral customers)

 

Premier League Predictions for Week 2 of the EPL

Premier League Predictions for Week 2 of the EPL

Premier League Predictions for Week 2 of the EPL

There were a few surprises in the opening week with Leicester City top of the table for a while there, and and Arsenal bottom for a while too.  But form is temporary – Without further ado, here are the week 2 Premier League predictions:

Friday, 14th August

Aston Villa 0-1 Manchester United
manutd

Publishing too late to tip this one. Although United looked a bit flat against Spurs and were very fortunate to get the win courtesy of an own goal from Kyle Walker, Chris Smalling has stepped up to the mark in defence in both games.


Saturday , 15th August

Southampton 2-0 Everton

The Saints will be kicking themselves for letting Newcastle claw their way back to share the points last week and with their first game at home I think that they will have a comfortable win.  Last season they proved that St Mary’s was a tough place for visiting sides and there’s nothing that suggests Everton will excel away from Goodison Park.

Saints to win.

Sunderland 1-0 Norwich City

Two teams that were well beaten last week will be looking to get fired up and get their first points of the campaign.  It would feel natural to predict a score draw for this one but at home the Black Cats should be able to consume the Canaries.  Jermaine Defoe looked dangerous last week despite being on the losing side and there could be plenty of opportunities for him against the visitors’ frail-looking back line.  Worth noting that Norwich City have not beaten Sunderland away from home in their last 6 attempts.

Sunderland to win.

Swansea City 2-0 Newcastle United

The Swans are on a bit of a roll against the Magpies, having not lost a league game to them in the last 6.  That, combined with United’s horror run of away form (7 without a win) swanseaincluding some woeful losses towards the end of last season as they dropped like a stone down the table, indicates a home win.

Go for the Swansea win at the Liberty.

Tottenham Hotspur 3-0 Stoke City

White Hart Lane will see its first action of the season as the North London outfit look to atone for The Potters’ league double over them last season.  Spurs looked good last week against Kane at the LaneManchester United but came away with nothing despite creating a few good chances.

At home, Tottenham will be desperate to get their first points and Stoke have not won away from home in their last 5 games, losing three of them including the Liverpool home loss last week.  Stoke are without captain Ryan Shawcross again.

Expecting a few goals to go in at the Lane.  Go for a Tottenham win.

Watford 2-2 West Bromwich Albion

New boys Watford were unlucky not to take all three points at Everton as they had to settle for a draw thanks to an 86 minute equalizer away from home.

The history of clashes between these two reveals that the Hornets have not beaten the Baggies in their last 14 league meetings.  And West Brom haven’t lost to Watford away from home in the last 7 matches they’ve played.  Having said that, their last head to head match was in 2010 in the Championship.

Even still, predicting a draw.

West Ham United 2-1 Leicester City

Leicester put in a great display at the King Power Stadium to put 4 past a shell-shocked Sunderland.  But West Ham provided the shock of the opening week with an amazing win against Arsenal at The Emirates Stadium – Didn’t see that coming at all.

If that is what the Hammers can do away, then at home and high on confidence they surely will be able to get the points.

West Ham to win.


Sunday 16th August

Crystal Palace 1-2 Arsenal

The Eagles got of to a flying start by beting Norwich away 3-1 which included a debut goal from new signing Cabaye.  Conversely, the Gunners couldn’t get anything at home to West Ham and that was very un-Arsenal like, to say the least.

This week, after that kick up the arse, there is little doubt in my mind that Arsene will rev up the Arsenal to victory over Palace.

Arsenal to get all the points.

Manchester City 1-0 Chelsea

A blockbuster here, and I think everyone will take a very keen interest in this game.  Chelsea has a first game wobble against Swansea but at least got a point out of it whereas City dominated against West Brom.

The fact that Blues keeper Courtois was sent off means that he’s now suspended and although City will be home favourites, these games are generally low scoring and cagey affairs.  See the evidence here:

Man City v Chelsea Last 6 Results

Man City v Chelsea Last 6 Results – from http://turboscores.com

Go for the City win. Just.


 

 Liverpool 3-0 Bournemouth

From what we saw in week 1, Bournemouth might struggle in the Premier League. While no one wants to see that happen, the signs were there when they opened the campaign at home with a defeat to Aston Villa.

Anfield can be a daunting place for visiting teams so I am recommending a Red win.

Liverpool to get all 3 points.

That’s the Premier League Predictions for Week 2 in the EPL.
Good luck – @edcashmoretips

 

Premier League Predictions for Week 1 of the EPL

Premier League Predictions for Week 1 of the EPL

Premier League Predictions for Week 1 of the EPL

Can you feel it? There is a renewed sense of optimism in the air all around the country.  The new EPL season is about to kick off and throughout it I’ll be bringing you Premier League predictions.  For every new year’s opening set of fixtures, predictions can be extremely tricky due to comings and goings within each team.  There’s also the uncertainty of how well the promoted clubs will cope with life after the Championship, but here’s how I see things shaping up:

Saturday, 8th August

Manchester United 2-1  Tottenham Hotspur

For the season opener, I expect a close game but home advantage is key. The Red Devils have splashed out on some exciting looking new players including former PSV Eindhoven forward Memphis Depay and the Dutchman should join Wayne Rooney up front.  United are more than manutdready to banish the memories of Radamael Falcao’s misses and forge a new strike partnership to frighten any opponent.  There will be no David DeGea (being kept in cool storage for a certain Spanish club) or Bastian Schweinsteiger (fitness) on Saturday.

Tottenham’s last visit to OT ended in a 3-0 loss which was their first defeat to United in a few years, so they will be looking to a new-look defence to keep in the game until the end.  As for Spurs’ forward threat, it seems to be all about Harry Kane again.  The White Hart Lane team Tottenham Hotspurhave not strengthened in their attack much and will hope that he stays fit for as long as possible until some backup arrives.  Soldado and Adebayor surely must be leaving during this window.

Bournemouth 2-0 Aston Villa

I think that Villa are going to find themselves in a real cauldron on Sunday and the Premier League new boys will find what it takes to take the points.

Everton 3-0 Watford

At Goodison, the Toffees surely will grab the points with all of those experienced PL players.  Plus, Martinez will be pumped up and ready to get his team to improve on last season’s slip down the table.

Leicester City 2-1 Sunderland

Can see Leicester continuing on their good form of last season, spurred on by strong home support.

Norwich City 0-2 Crystal Palace

Palace under Pardew were going places fast last term and Norwich might find them too much if that confidence continues.

Chelsea 1-0 Swansea

Last season, the little horse turned into a stallion that galloped away with the title almost from tChelseahe start.  Built again around defensive quality first and foremost, it’s a sure bet that Blues boss Mourinho will again set up not to lose games in 2015/16.  Not that he’s got a bad midfield or forward attack either!  However, their rivals are also trying to buy their way to the title just like Chelsea have consistently done thanks to their mega-wealthy owner’s backing.

That said, Swansea are no mugs and have proven that they can push top teams away from swanseahome in recent seasons.  We’ll have to find out which Swans turn up but the likes of Gylfi Sigurdsson, still just 25 years old and with plenty of experience, is a dangerous goalscoring midfielder to watch.


 

Sunday 9th August

Arsenal 5-1 West Ham

Arsenal tend to hammer the Hammers home and away but they do it especially hard at the Emirates.  Expect this trend to continue.

Newcastle United 1-3 Southampton

This season, the Magpies need to get off to a good start to give their long-suffering fans a lift.  However, I think that the Saints will prove too strong.  It will be interesting to see if I’m right.

Stoke City 2-2 Liverpool

As everyone knows,  these two met one Premier League match ago at the same venue and Liverpool got absolutely caned.  That kind of pain can work wonders for plotting revenge – but the Potters are strong at home and can share the points.

West Bromwich Albion 1-2 Manchester City

It’s hard to see West Brom overcoming a Citizens side who have added even more quality players.  Raheem Sterling will be there, champing at the bit to play well with his new Money City team mates. Perhaps the Baggies can thwart them but it would take a brave punter to bet against City.

Good luck – @edcashmoretips

2015/16 Premier League Pre-Season Markets & Value Bets

2015/16 Premier League Pre-Season Markets & Value Bets

2015/16 Premier League Pre-Season Markets & Value Bets

Before the 2015/16 Barclays Premier League season kicks off, the bravest of punters are making their long-term predictions.  Everyone knows just how tricky it is to predict how the transfer dealings will impact each team.  Even some of the most expensive signings can turn out to be total flops , whilst some clubs manage to find real gems who take the competition by complete surprise. Here, we’re taking a look at a couple of the pre-season Premier League betting markets to ponder what might be…

Top Goalscorer Market

The usual suspects in Aguero, Rooney and Costa are of course in the mix again to score the most goals in 2015/16.  But there are some other good prospects to win it for the upcoming season.

Liverpool new boy Christian Benteke

Christian Benteke

Following their stunning strikes in a pre-season friendlies for Liverpool and Spurs respectively, we think that having a bit of Christian Benteke at 16/1 or Harry Kane at 12/1 look like pretty good value.

Benteke’s record for Aston Villa speaks for itself: 42 goals in 89 appearances over 3 seasons.  One would have to imagine that the Belgian will receive much better service at his new club, so the chances of him bettering his debut 2012-13 season at the Villans (19 Premier League goals) where his contribution kept them from the relegation zone (they finished 15th), are high.

Top Goalscorer

Top Goalscorer market odds

Whereas no Englishman has won the Premier League golden boot since Kevin Phillips in 1999/2000, there is a good chance that this could change in 2015/16.  Harry Kane’s 21 goals in 34 appearances last season was a club record alongside the likes of Teddy Sheringham, Jürgen Klinsmann and the world’s most expensive player, Gareth Bale.

As the season wore on, Kane had to deal with a lot of extra attention from opposition defenders after it became clear that great goals against the likes of Chelsea and Arsenal, where Spurs recorded stirring victories, were no flash in the pan. Kane at 12/1 for top goalscorer looks to also be a decent value bet, even if it is a little short for our liking.


 

To Win Outright Market

To the question of who will be crowned Premier League champions, and at this stage most can only realistically see this being either Arsenal, Chelsea or Manchester City.  Manchester United should be back in the mix after spending big yet again, but it would be an absolute delight to see the a non-fancied team spring a real shock.

So, if you were going for an outsider bet in order to take a punt on massive odds, would it be a total waste of time and money?   Very probably, history suggests.  Liverpool are a team that 14nearly managed to pull off such a shock a couple of seasons back, only to fall agonisingly short. The Reds are at 20/1 which shows how wary the bookmakers are of them doing something special again.

For the optimistic, Leicester City can be backed at 2000/1 and potentially higher at some bookmakers.  The Foxes managed to beat the drop with a strong finish last season and a sustained, consistent continuation of that form would make for a huge payday.

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Outright Market for the new Prem season

For odds on teams with perhaps an even more realistic possibility of doing it, you could look to Tottenham (100/1), Everton (250/1) or Southampton (200/1).  This is where the stars would have to align perfectly for one of those teams and the current favourites would need to all be Spurs - EPL Week 36 Predictionstaking points of each other.  The issue that these ‘top 8’ teams have had since the Premier League began is consistency.

We know that on top form, these teams can beat any other in the Premier League. The problem is that no team can maintain top form over an entire season, what with the mix of Southampton FC Oddsinjuries, suspensions, different conditions, bad luck etc.  However, the top  3 or 4 teams always seem to have that extra bit of quality and squad depth that means that they’re able to win even though they aren’t on top form.

There are, of course, quite a few other pre-season markets to examine such as Relegated Teams, Top 3,4,5,6 & 7 Teams, Top Newcomer, TriCast and much more. There’s even a market on the Sides To Go Unbeaten in 2015/16’s Premier League, and Chelsea are 125/1 for example.

We’ve taken this market information online from bookmaker bet365, who have the most generous of all joining offers with a £200 deposit bonus (Find our review of their mobile app here.)  As usual, we’ll be keeping track of football scores with great interest throughout the season to see how things develop.