Yearly Archives: 2011
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January Transfer Window
January Transfer Window Betting
January’s transfer window is always an interesting one; big names have been thrown around for the last month and now is the time for the business to be done, big spenders Manchester City are looking increasingly more likely to offload a number of big name stars and could be bringing in some expensive new signings. For convenience I will be splitting up the transfers and targets into sections. Make sure you check out are list of free bet offers for betting on the January Transfer window.
Emanuel Adebayor
Emanuel Adebayor’s £25 million move to Manchester City from Arsenal was one of the first big moves of City’s new era. Sadly for the Togolese captain things have not gone entirely to plan at Eastlands. After an exciting start he has slowly fallen behind Carlos Tevez and Mario Ballotelli in the pecking order of strikers at Eastlands and with Eden Dzeko looking set for the blue side of Manchester his time at City looks to be up. A number of clubs are rumoured to be interested but leading the pack as favourite are Italian giants Juventus with odds of 6/4 on SkyBet for a winter move there. Tottenham are also supposedly interested and rumour on the grapevine is that he may be going there as a 4th striker and new option if Robbie Keane departs, Tottenham are priced at 10/1 to land the powerful striker.
Ashley Young
Ashley Young could be next in the line of talented English midfielders to leave Villa park in recent seasons, and with Villa struggling under Gerrard Houlier of late the young winger may feel it is time that he left for pastures a new. Harry Redknap’s Tottenham are looking like the smartest place to put your money in regards to the pacey England international, they are strong favourites at 5/2 on SkyBet. However with Liverpool really struggling for form and with the immense failure of Joe Cole, Ashley Young could be Anfield bound with healthy odds of 6/1 on SkyBet. Other potential suitors include Manchester United, Arsenal and big spenders City who are priced respectively at 8/1, 10/1 and 16/1.
David Beckham
One of the less expected names has popped up again and again this past month and it now looks increasingly likely that old Golden Balls will be making a Premier League return on loan during the MLS close season. Recent reports seem to suggest that he is bound for Tottenham, and it is spurred on by leaked reports in America that Tottenham will be receiving a player on loan from the states. The odds of 1/4 on SkyBet make it seem very likely that Becks will be back in Englandm the only other location that seems plausible at this time is his old club Manchester United which is priced at 20/1 on SkyBet. Sky Bet is now one of the few online bookmakers accepting paypal.
Shay Given
Shay Given’s future at City looks very uncertain, especially with the emergence of Joe Hart as Mancini’s preferred number 1. Obviously a goalkeeper as talented and as used to first team football as the Irish international will want to play week in week out and it looks likely that he will be heading away from Eastlands this January. Whether permanently or on a loan move is yet to be seen, Celtic have been looking most likely to pick up the ex-Newcastle stopper and are a firm 9/2 on SkyBet to get Given. Italian club Roma also look to be sniffing around for Given’s services as well and are the favourites to pick him up at 4/1 on SkyBet.
Shaun Wright-Phillips
Shaun Wright-Phillips is another of the big names who looks to be on the way out at Eastlands, the likely destination of the England winger is really unknown at the moment, with a number of clubs sniffing around after a good bargain. However it is the wages of players like SWP that may put some teams of, the favourites for his signature look to be West Ham, Newcastle and Stoke City who are all priced at 5/1 on SkyBet.
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Football Betting
Football Betting
Every week we provide match previews for the bigggest football matches. Each preview contains a comprehensive guide to form, squad details and previous head to head matches. We provide the latest odds from leading online bookmakers, including special offers and free bets.
Free football betting tips and match previews
With the Premier LEague returning this weekend we have match previews for Newcastle vs Arsenal and West Brom vs Man Utd
Football betting previews
With the start of the new season just around the corner, we have previews for all the major markets in all divisions: Premier League Winner Premier League Golden Boot Premier League Relegation Championship Winner Championship Golden Boot Championship Relegation League 1 Winner League 1 Golden Boot League 1 Relegation League 2 Winner League 2 Golden Boot League 2 Relegation
Latest football betting tips
Football betting is one of the most popular forms of online betting, due to the fact it is the nation’s most popular sport. Online football betting has never been easier, with online bookmakers having quick slip options to place your bets quickly, and a massive range of football betting markets to choose from. With so many people throughout the world having such an in dept knowledge about football, punters often have the advantage over online bookmakers when it comes to football betting. With so many special offers, promotions and free bets being offered by online bookmakers, football betting can be very profitable.
Football betting online has seen a different trend to normal football betting patterns. Online betting tends to se a heavy focus on football matches that are live on TV. Online punters tend to bet on the outcome of single matches, or correct scores and first goal scorer markets. Traditional “shop” punters tended to place “accumulator” bets on a number of teams winning. All bookmakers on this site feature a wide range of football betting opportunities.
Some of the key football betting markets are as follows, at free bet finder we aim to provide in depth analysis and free betting tips on all these markets:
Premier League betting preview 07/08
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FA Cup betting
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When it comes to football betting we recommend Bet 365 as the best online bookmaker, as they feature an incredible range of markets on all English, European and World Football, from the Premier League right down to non-league football matches.
Stan James offer an unrivalled service when it comes to football betting in-running (where you place bets throughout the game on markets like next goal scorer, next corner etc). By betting online the odds are updated instantly as the game is played.
Asian Handicaps are a popular form of football betting. You can read our guide to Asian Handicap betting here. When it comes to placing Asian Handicap bets, we would recommend VC Bet
Supreme Novices Hurdle
Cheltenham Supreme Novices Hurdle
Cheltenham Festival race guide – the Supreme Novices Hurdle
What better way to kick start this year’s Cheltenham Festival than seeing some of the finest novice hurdlers across the UK and Ireland contest the Prestbury Park curtain raiser. The field can expect to hear the traditional “Cheltenham Roar” as they embark on their two mile journey. And despite his fall two flights from home in the Betfair Hurdle at Newbury last time, the previously unbeaten Darlan just shades favouritism for this Grade 1 event. But the Nicky Henderson-trained five-year-old can expect stiff competition from a whole host of exciting novices including Cinders And Ashes and Midnight Game amongst others. It promises to be another fantastic renewal run on the old course at Cheltenham, and one which should whet the appetite for all four days.
Paddy Power are refunding losing singles on the race if Cue Card wins so it is worth doing any other bets in the race with them, the unbeaten Spirit Son head the list of challengers, he has shown more potential than actual form so far in his three starts, he has also shown a liking for soft ground so may not find conditions to suit. Recession Proof is solid but not outstanding whilst Zaidpour might like it a little softer, best of the each way chances could be Sprinter Sacre who has shown a good level of form on a variety of ground.
Supreme Novices Hurdle odds
The field of runners will swing left-handed as they complete their near two-mile journey. The race should see a large number of entrants and the early ante-post betting is centred on the Colin Tizzard trained Cue Card. After winning the Weatherby’s Champion Bumper at the festival last year, the 4yo gelding bolted up by thirteen lengths in a subsequent Novices Hurdle at Aintree in late October. If entered for the Cheltenham opener, the unbeaten hurdler will be hard to beat and it is hard to see Cue Card surrendering his unbeaten record. Bookmakers across the board list him at 6/1 to scoop the £100,000 purse, so perhaps one to keep an eye on in the build up to March’s showdown.
Recent Trends
Favourites have underperformed in recent years in the Supreme Novices with only two market leaders crossing the line first in the last seventeen runnings of this race. Last year’s winner Menorah went off at a healthy 12/1 and rewarded those punters looking for value in the market. The whole population of Ireland seemed to be on Irish raider Dunguib in the race, but he fluffed his line at 4/5 favourite. Therefore it may be worth chancing an outsider to get your betting week off to the best possible start. The ante-post market will certainly hot up in the run up to the race, so as ever it is important to make regular market inspections as horses making their debut Cheltenham debut have gone in before at hefty prices. The form book has gone out of the window several times in recent years which makes the race one of the toughest to predict.
Testing conditions underfoot could influence the betting, and when identifying your chosen fancy for this one, examine key qualities such as stamina and pace with regards flat bred runners. Tactics could play a huge part should the pace be frenetic over the first mile and it will be interesting to see who takes up the running. Irish horses have a particular good record in this event, and this another one of the many factors to consider before placing your bets and finding the first winner of the 2011 Cheltenham Festival!
Victor Chandler
Bet 365
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RSA Chase
Cheltenham RSA Chase
Cheltenham Festival race guide – RSA Chase betting verdict
Grands Crus, will he or won’t he? David Pipe and owner Roger Stanley’s decision to run him in the RSA or the Gold Cup is still up for debate, but should he stick to novice company the seven-year-old will almost definitely go off favourite. He’s currently best priced 9/4 for this race after his impressive victory in the Feltham at Kempton on Boxing Day and he looks the one to beat here. Bobs Worth, First Lieutenant and Invictus come here in good form too and can serve it up to Grands Crus.Get a free £25 bet with VC Bet.
Aiteen Thirtythree and Jessies Dream are rated the main dangers by the bookies, connections of Jessies Dream think he will improve for the three miles on better ground but even if that’s the case he probably isn’t in the same class as the favourite, meanwhile it is difficult to see what Aiteen Thirtythree has achieved in smalled fields this year, he looks very promising but may find it difficult to dominate this field. At bigger prices Wayward Prince makes a bit of each way appeal as one of the more soild contenders in the race.
RSA Chase odds
Runners and riders will have to travel three miles and ½ a furlong in the process of taking nineteen fences on the old course for the RSA Chase. Novices five-years-old and up entered for this one will swing left-handed on their run-in and it has seen one big success story come out of it in more recent times. Paul Nicholls’ Denman ran out 6/5 winner of this race in 2007 and just twelve months later he fended off star rival Kauto Star to take the Cheltenham Gold Cup by a whopping seven lengths. And while it may seem unlikely a future Gold Cup winner will line up this year, it shows this race can provide the perfect stepping stones for horses that perform well in this chase.
Top yards and stables
When we talk about the top yards and trainers that consistently send out winners the same half a dozen keep popping up. Willie Mullins and Paul Nicholls both have excellent records in this race with the former taking the 2004 and 2009 runnings of this event. And Nicholls’ proved he could ready a RSA winner not just with wonderhorse Denman; he trained Star De Mohaison to victory in 2006. But it’s Paul Webbers’ Time for Rupert that heads the very early ante-post market at 8/1 general after victory in a similar Novices Chase over two miles four furlongs at Cheltenham in November. It remains to be seen whether the 6yo gelding will head for the RSA Chase and if so he must be taken very seriously indeed.
The Irish have a good record in this race and last year Weapons Amnesty was just another of the many winners they have prepared for this race. He ran away with it last March, beating the second horse by seven lengths and well backed favourite Punchestowns by sixteen, who could only muster a measly fifth. He hasn’t quite followed in the footsteps of Denman after his victory, but could we uncover another hidden gem in the RSA Chase? A massive seven horses that have won this encounter have gone on to win the Gold Cup – the pinnacle of the festival.
Victor Chandler
Bet 365
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Queen Mother Chase
Cheltenham Queen Mother Chase
Queen Mother Chase betting verdict
The Tied Cottage Chase at Punchestown in February only highlighted Sizing Europe’s Queen Mother credentials even further at the main expense of Big Zeb, his main market rival. Between them, the pair have won this race for the last two seasons, but Sizing Europe’s fifteen-length success over Big Zeb last time reflects his positions at the head of the market. This renewal looks to be between the pair again and on recent evidence Sizing Europe would get the vote. Finian’s Rainbow and Somerbsy are not to be dismissed. Get a free £25 bet with William Hill.
The Queen Mother Champion chase is always a fantastic event and a well deserving feature of the Cheltenham Festival. Despite fewer entrants, the race does not lack in quality and the limited field never disappoint putting a show on. Two miles is the trip, the leading minimum distance in the National Hunt calendar, and horses five years plus can be readied for this Grade 1 showdown. They must bypass twelve fences en route to the finish and the winner in 2010 received a very healthy £320,000 purse. Some punters will focus all their efforts on the Queen Mother Champion Chase and millions are expected to gambled on those runners who are waved on by the starters’ orders. The relatively small field is one reason the racing neutrals enjoy this feature, believing they can pick out the winner from a limited number. And in 2009 Master Minded could have won with just one leg after backed in all the way to 4/11.
Queen Mother Chase odds
Winners at larger prices are uncommon and the market usually speaks volumes of the chances of each runner in the Queen Mother. But there a few reoccurring trends over the recent times that haven’t gone unnoticed. Arkle winners have faired well, Voy Por Ustedes won under the stewardship of Robert Thornton in 2007 after scooping victory in the Arkle Challenge Trophy twelve months earlier. And that is why Sizing Europe is being mooted as a possible entrant after last years Arkle win. But will he be able to make the significant step up in class? He recently was four lengths inferior to Gold Cup winner Kauto Star at Down Royal but is not without chance if putting his best foot forward.
Classy two mile chasers are hard to come by and it is even harder to find those horses that can cruise and jump at speed. So every Queen Mother entrant must be granted respect but those who have performed at the highest level previously are worth concentrating on. Master Minded can take inspiration from the exploits of Jessica Harrington’s Moscow Flyer who after winning the race in 2003, he flopped a year later before taking the 2005 renewal. It will be interesting to see how Paul Nicholls’ double Queen Mother winner fairs in his trial runs ahead of the race, but he for one is one you want to keep on your side.
One of the most exciting races of the festival, that certainly makes up in excitement for it’s lack of runners. Will it be another for Master Minded or will Big Zeb prove last year’s victory was no fluke? Could there even be a new winner of the Queen Mother Champion Chase? Only time will tell!
Victor Chandler
Bet 365
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Neptune Investment Hurdle
Cheltenham Neptune Investment Hurdle
Neptune Investment Hurdle betting verdict
Both Boston Bob and Simonsig are proving hard to split in the Neptune Novices’ ante-post market providing they both contest it. Willie Mullins’ hurdler is also entered in the Albert Bartlett Novices, while connections of Simonsig, who won comfortably at Kelso in his prep race, could target the Supreme Novices. Monksland is another who features prominently in the market along with Sous Les Cieux for this renewal. Get a free £25 bet with William Hill.
This could come down to Rock On Ruby, who has previously performed well at Cheltenham and represents excellent each-way value at odds of 8/1 with VC Bet .
Neptune Hurdle Recent Records
Since the turn of the millennium, this hasn’t been a race favourites have done well in. Only two market leaders, Monsignor in 2000 and Mikael Dhaguenet two years ago have justified favouritism and each way value might just prevail again this year. The two mile five furlong distance is a tricky one in the sense that many trainers are still learning the preferred trip of these novices. Willie Mullins does however seem to have hit the nail on the head with regards this distance – the Irish trainer took this race in consecutive years in 2008 and 2009. So keep a look out for his representative(s) in this as it would come as no surprise to see his horse(s) be there or thereabouts.
Five and six year old horses have dominated the Neptune Investment Hurdle during the last decade. To trace the last seven year old winner you will have to dig the year 1998 out of the archives when Ferdy Murphy’s French Holly claimed victory. Mature and experienced chasers seem the route to go down if you’re going to put your money where your mouth is in this race. Certainly, do not hesitate picking a 5/6yo and one that comes into the event after a progressive National Hunt season can only enhance your chances of a winner on day two!
Victor Chandler
Bet 365
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National Hunt Steeple Chase
Cheltenham National Hunt Chase
National Hunt Chase betting verdict
The opener on race day two is the longest race of the entire festival and one for the most promising amateur riders. Derek O’Connor took all the plaudits for his ride on Chicago Grey for trainer Donald McCain a year ago, but Soll currently heads the market for this event, should Willie Mullins’ gelding take in the race. Stamina holds the key to this event and the marathon four mile trip could catch several of these runners out, but two horses that feature heavily at the top end of the market are Harry The Viking and Teaforthree. Get a free £25 bet with William Hill.
Beshabar is another who might be struggling to get up the hill after four miles round Cheltenham so the horse who could give Alfa Beat the most to do could be Some Target who proved his stamina for this sort of trip last time out.
National Hunt Chase odds
Winning amateurs of this chase in the past have gone on to become highly respected jockeys and it will be interesting to see who rides for the top stables. Last year it was Katy Walsh (younger sister of Ruby) who celebrated her first ever Cheltenham Festival success aboard French chaser Poker de Sivola. Ferdy Murphy’s 7yo won at 14/1 by two-and-half lengths which is evidence that there is value to be had in the novices’ market. In fact, punters may want to shy away from the favourite in this one; only one favourite has won in the last decade in which time horses 33/1 bar have triumphed in.
Some punters will argue the ability of the jockey is vital if a horse is going to perform and get the best out of their mount. But here, we enter the unknown a little with regards these apprentices and their capabilities. However, a few have caught the eye over the past twelve months or so, notably Sam Twiston-Davies riding for his father and it would also be unwise to overlook any novice chaser ridden by Nina Carberry and/or Katie Walsh. It promises to be a truly fantastic race on the big stage at Cheltenham for these youngsters but perhaps for this race its best to focus attention on the top trainers. Look no further than Jonjo O’Neill, the Irish ex-jockey has trained four winners since the turn of the millennium and money is sure to arrive for his runner(s) again.
In previous years…
Recent runnings of this event suggests the older horses tend to see the trip out better than their younger competitors. The four miles is a real test of stamina and the extra experience is a huge advantage, seven and eight year-olds have done well previously but finding the balance between an experienced horse and an expose one could prove a tough nut to crack. Younger horses with fewer miles on the clock should not be discounted though, Tricky Trickster won the 2009 running as a 6yo which makes this one of the hardest races of the entire festival to call. The National Hunt Steeple Chase is probably one in which many betting folk may discard as a betting race yet still cast a watchful eye over the next generation of potential jump jockeys.
Victor Chandler
Bet 365
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JCB Triumph Hurdle
Cheltenham Triumph Hurdle
Triumph Hurdle betting verdict
Grandouet is a lightly raced sort who can give Nicky Henderson a third consecutive winner in the JCB Triumph Hurdle. This French import’s comfortable win in a juvenile hurdle in December on his penultimate start looks good form and he looks sure to go well here. But he has fifteen lengths to find with SAM WINNER on his last visit to Cheltenham and Paul Nicholls’ horse looks a classy hurdler in the making. He can be forgiven for his Chepstow defeat last time where the race wasn’t run to suit while Nicholls’ other runner Brampour could reward each way punters. Get a free £25 bet with William Hill.
JCB Triumph Hurdle odds
This race has thrown up some real stars, more recently the Nicky Henderson trained Zaynar and not forgetting the likes of Katchit and Celestial Halo have been first home in the last few years. And again we just can’t get away from Nicky Henderson (Philip Hobbs and Alan King have also shared four successes in this race in the last ten years) as we prepare to take in the JCB Triumph Hurdle. No active trainer has won more races than Nicky and he has excellent records in the majority of the Cheltenham festival races. It may seem like a broken record, but any representative he sends from his Berkshire stable must enter calculations, after all he does know how to ready a horse for this demanding hurdle. In fact, he’s looking for a hat-trick in the race following the successes of Zaynar (2009) and more recently Soldatino (2010) so you wouldn’t bet against it happening – would you?
Jockey records
Barry Geraghty has been top jockey in the JCB Triumph hurdle in the last decade, he is Henderson’s stable jockey of course and when they team up again for this one in March, they are sure to be in with a shout. Geraghty rode Soldatino and he was making only his second start in last years contest but defied odds of 6/1 to beat the more experienced Barizan by a length-and-three-quarters. The juveniles on show in March must be followed closely in their trial runs especially the Juvenile Novices’ Hurdle in late January. This could serve up a real treat for punters who already have one eye on the festival showdown.
The field
The quantity of this Triumph field has reduced somewhat in recent years, partly because of the fourth day addition to the festival which have created other potential routes and races for these juveniles to try their hand at. That is not to say the field has been stripped of quality and if anything it has led to classier entries who have set this race as a benchmark to tackle with months of preparation beforehand. And those well fancied runners might just find themselves in the picture near home in this race because there has been no double priced winner in the last six runnings of this event. So edge your bets towards the top end of the market but ebb on the side of caution – only one market leader has won this since the turn of the millennium!
Victor Chandler
Bet 365
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Cheltenham Festival
Cheltenham betting – odds, tips & free bets for the Cheltenham 2013
The best free bet offers for the 2011 Cheltenham Festival are below. We have previews for each Cheltenham race on day one, as well as all the latest odds and free bets.
Cheltenham day 4 betting tips:
1:30: Triumph Hurdle –Sam Winner – – 6/1 Totesport – £10 free bet
2:05: County Hurdle –Alaivan– e/w 9/1 Will Hill – £25 free bet
2.40: Albert Bartlett Hurdle – Court in Motion e/w – 10/1 Will Hill – £25 free bet
3:20: Gold Cup – Denamn – 15/2 Bet 365 – £200 in free bets
Wiliam Hill
Cheltenham Festival odds
The latest Cheltenham Festival odds are now available for each and every race.
Cheltenham Festival free bets
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Bet 365
The most anticipated and eagerly-awaited meeting in the National Hunt racing calendar takes place from Tuesday 15th to the 18th March – The Cheltenham Festival 2011! Since it began in 1902, the festival has brought together the very best horses in jump racing and with hundred of millions of pounds expected to be gambled across the four days, the hype is just beginning as we look another Cheltenham betting bonanza at the 2011 Festival.
Victor Chandler
Latest Cheltenham news
With the Cheltenham Festival now only around 1 month away, we will be adding daily features about how to maximise your winnings at the 2011 Cheltenham Festival. First up we take a look at Cheltenham Handicap winning trends. We also take a look at the jockeys to follow and starting prices of previous Cheltenham winners. Get previews of all the Cheltenham Festival top trainers here. Looking ahead to the Cheltenham Gold Cup, are Kauto Star and Denman past their best? Will the race be contested between Long run and Imperial Commander?
So what can we expect to see? Well, twenty-six races will commence over the four action packed days and spectators will be aplenty once more with a near on 50,000 expected to pack the grandstand of the Gloucestershire racecourse. Of all the Cheltenham races, the feature race will now be the fourth race on the card each day leading up to the Gold Cup highlight on the final day of the meeting. The battle in the betting ring between punters and bookies promises to add to the electric Cheltenham atmosphere, most notably referred to as the ‘Cheltenham Roar’. But it’s not all just about the racing, it’s a chance to mingle with the rich and famous, examine the elegant finery on display and of course sipping a glass or two of your favourite wine. Looking ahead to the World Hurdle, can anyone stop short price favourite Big Bucks from winning? Is the Queen Mother chase just between Master Minded and Big Zeb?
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