“Rangers v Falkirk (5)” (CC BY 2.0) by  daniel0685

After a few years in the doldrums, Rangers are back in the top flight. Mark Warburton’s men have come a long way after the most difficult spell in the club’s long-standing history and they are now on the verge of challenging arch-rivals Celtic for the Scottish title. However, it would be foolish to dismiss Aberdeen and Hearts; both clubs are much improved and the Scottish Premiership is more competitive than ever before.

Rangers will take plenty of confidence from their Scottish Cup semi-final victory over Celtic at the end of last season. On their day, Gers are capable of toppling their great rivals and it wouldn’t be a huge surprise to see the 54-time Scottish champions claim yet another major title at the end of the upcoming campaign. It will all depend on their consistency against the top flight’s “lesser” sides – they have been phenomenal in the last few years and could take plenty of confidence from their ability to hold on after taking a lead.

At the time of writing, Warburton’s side are 3/1 in Bet365’s SPL betting markets and they might just be the value bet for the new season. Celtic are currently 2/7 to retain their crown but Brendan Rodgers’ tenure got off to the worst possible start as the Bhoys suffered one of the most embarrassing defeats in the club’s history against Lincoln Red Imps in their Champions League qualifier.

While Celtic recovered in the second leg, that particular result showed that Rodgers’ men can be guilty of complacency – something that you just cannot do if you want to win the title. If Rangers can pile the pressure on and maintain a genuine bid throughout the entire campaign, Celtic could well crumble; just like Rodgers’ Liverpool did in the 2013-14 Premier League season.

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On paper, Rangers cannot compete with Celtic on a player-by-player basis but there’s no denying that Warburton’s side have plenty of passion, hunger and desire to succeed at the top level. After a few years out of the top flight, Rangers may struggle to inspire confidence but it could work the other way – they are playing with very little pressure on their shoulders. And playing as the underdog could actually suit Rangers over the course of the season…

It won’t be easy but Rangers have the talent, the experience and the management skills to compete against the very best sides in Scotland. While Aberdeen and Hearts are much improved, Rangers will be quietly confident of finishing above both clubs. From there, it is all about the two Glaswegian sides and it wouldn’t be a major surprise to see Gers topple their old foes. The Old Firm derbies will be important but Rangers’ consistency and ability to deal with the pressure when it matters most may come into play as Celtic crumble…

Next month it is time for the second Grand Slam tournament of the year, the French Open, which is better-known as Roland Garros. Starting at the 16th of May and customarily ending with the Gentlemen’s Final on the 5th of June, the only premier clay court tournament will prove to be an exciting event for tennis fans worldwide. Once again, this year its main sponsor is BNP Paribas – the financial institution has been in partnership with Roland Garros for forty years now. There seems to be no better time than to start evaluating the odds the bookmakers are giving for the outrights of the tournament (valid on 12/4).

Stan Wawrinka
Last year’s surprise winner, Swiss-born Stan Wawrinka, is the third favourite to win Roland Garros 2016 getting odds of 7/1. Despite his success in last year’s clay season, Wawrinka is still relatively far from a favourite compared to Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic. His American campaign could be considered rather disappointing, after a round-16 loss against David Goffin in Indian Wells and a second-round knockout at the Miami Open against Andrey Kuznetsov. Being the only player after Roger Federer to ever defeat both Nadal and Djokovic in a Grand Slam Final (2014’s Australian Open and the French Open of 2015, respectively), the odds surely look enticing for Stan to win his third major event and it comes to no surprise that he says he is excited for the clay season to commence.

Novak Djokovic
Quite unsurprisingly, the Serbian Novak Djokovic is the big favorite to win this year’s French Open despite never having won a clay-ground Grand Slam before. After his win in the Miami Open, Djokovic passed Federer to become the All-Time Prize Money Leader in men’s tennis and his confidence should be at an all-time high. The Serb is rated to pay 4/6 for the outright of 2016’s Roland Garros, miles ahead of the 7/1 that is given to Wawrinka. The odds are looking really good for Djokovic to secure his 12th Grand Slam victory, and they have never been better for any of the major events except for the Australian Open earlier this year. The fact that Roger Federer has not played due to injuries and a stomach flu since losing to Djokovic in the semi-finals of this event, will only support the Serb’s chances of taking this Grand Slam down.

Rafael Nadal
The fact that Djokovic is in the form of his life, combined with Federer missing match rhythm, means that “Rafa” Nadal is the second favorite for the outright of the tournament. The Spaniard is the all-time record holder for the French Open, having won 9 titles between 2005 and 2014. However, the last Grand Slam won by Rafa dates back to exactly two years ago, which was the French Open of 2014 in which Djokovic lost to the Spaniard over 4 sets. Additionally, Nadal was eliminated in the first round of this year’s Austalian Open by Fernando Verdasco, thereby allowing the countryman to become the second player ever to eliminate Nadal in the first round of a Grand Slam. All-in-all, Nadal clocks in at odds of 7/2 for the outright, which seems rather low considering his current form. However, as mentioned, Nadal is arguably the best clay player and the French courts bring back many good memories – that’s why we expect him to be at the top of his game.

Milos Raonic
As for the outsiders, Milos Roanic looks like a great pick with 40/1 odds for the win. The 25-year-old Canadian made a great run at the past Australian Open, making it to the semi-final while eliminating players such as Monfils and giving a rough time against the eventual runner-up Andy Murray. Since he withdrew from last year’s French Open due to a foot injury, it is hard to judge how well the youngster will fare on the clay but all-in-all Roanic looks to be a great longshot pick.

Altogether this year’s Roland Garros proves to become another exciting event. All the elements to make this a memorable tournament are present: the big favorite that is in the form of his life, the surprising title-holder looking to defend the trophy, the recovering veteran with the most Grand Slam titles to his name, and the decade-long favorite for the clay court, will all fight it out next month in the French capital. Although Djokovic is in pole-position to achieve a career Grand Slam, his opponents will be no means be walk-overs and Nadal and Federer in particular will do everything within their capabilities to deny the Serb an entry on the list of victorious players. Click here for the latest free bets.

Why Aberdeen are a better pick than Celtic to win the Scottish Premiership

Since Rangers dropped out of the Scottish Premiership, Celtic have dominated the division in each of the past four years. That could all change this season, however, as Aberdeen threaten to displace Ronny Deila’s men at the top of the table.

In previous years, the Dons have always threatened to challenge for the crown but haven’t managed to maintain a serious push for the entire campaign. If anyone is going to topple Celtic, it’s Aberdeen and this is why they are by far the best pick to win the Scottish Premiership title this season. Get all the latest odds here.

In terms of form, they’re more or less matching Celtic on a game-by-game basis. The Dons showed their mettle with a crucial come-from-behind victory over Partick Thistle at the beginning of March. That was a win that sent a statement of intent to Celtic. Aberdeen aren’t in this to finish second, they’re gunning for top spot and it would take a brave man to back against Derek McInnes’ men on current form.

Scottish football betting

When this article was produced, they’re priced at 7/1 to win the title in the Scottish football betting markets. Aberdeen have struggled to cope under pressure in previous years but they’re made of sterner stuff these days and the title is a real possibility if they continue to pile the pressure on Deila’s Celtic.

“P1020078” (CC BY 2.0) by  coliedog mac 

Aberdeen beat Inverness Caledonian Thistle on penalties to win the League Cup in 2014 but they want much more than the odd trophy here and there. The Dons have a number of talented, rising stars and their youthful enthusiasm could be crucial to their title aspirations. Like Leicester City in the Premier League, Aberdeen don’t look as though they are feeling the pressure and the onus is on Celtic to hold off their challenge.

After all, most expected the Bhoys to walk the Scottish Premiership at the beginning of the campaign. With Rangers on the brink of a return to the top flight, this may be Aberdeen’s best chance to win the title and McInnes’ side are hungry to produce one of Scottish football’s greatest ever triumphs.

Can Aberdeen go all the way and pip Celtic to the title? Well, they’re more than capable of toppling the defending champs – especially on current form. If nothing else, their odds are certainly appealing given their current league position and this might just be the Dons’ year to finally get their hands back on the Scottish title.

Step over Serena – Muguruza great value to become Australian Open champion

Outright pick: Garbine Muguruza – 14/1

Serena Williams was just two matches away from a historic Golden Slam last season. Defeat against Roberta Vinci, left the American heart broken, and this year’s Australian Open draw wide open.

Williams has not played since the loss four months ago, and will travel to Melbourne vastly undercooked. Last season’s surprise package Garbine Muguruza, can capitalise on Serena’s frailties and capture her first Grand Slam title.

Garbine wowed the tennis world last season with sensational attacking tennis, and backed this up with clinical results.

The 22 year old, climbed to number 3 in the world, by winning Beijing, reaching the Wimbledon final and going deep in the WTA Tour finals. The Spaniard will head to Australia as the form player after winning 10 of her last 12 matches at the backend of last season.

Muguruza has previously beaten all of the current top 8 players in the world and looks exceptional value at 14/1 to lift her first Grand Slam title.

Next best bet: Simona Halep – 10/1

Simona Halep continues to float under the radar ahead of this year’s Australian Open, but the 5 ft 5 Romanian remains one of the toughest players to beat.

Simona’s ranking of world number two has been built on her strong performances on hard courts. Last season, only Serena Williams could boast a better winning percentage on the surface, and this was by the finest margins.

Halep has made back-to-back Aussie Open quarter finals, and she may be able to go even closer this year if she doesn’t have to face arch-rival Serena.

Long shot: Caroline Wozniacki – 40/1

Caroline Wozniacki has never won a Grand Slam but deserves far more respect than her quote of 40/1. The five time Masters champion has proven year on year that she can compete with the best, and now may be her time to prove she can claim major glory.

Having already reached the quarter and semi finals of Australia in recent years, the former world number one knows how to reach the latter stages of the tournament. If she can repeat this feat again then her price of 40/1 will plummet. Click here to get free bets on the Australian Open. Make sure you also check out our preview of the Men’s Australian Open.

There will be no stopping Novak Down Under

Outright pick: Novak Djokovic – 4/5

For the first time in five years, a player is odds on to win a Grand Slam. And the price of 4/5 represents great value.

Novak Djokovic’s domination over men’s tennis in 2015 was enthralling, impressive, and utterly ruthless.

On route to recording what many experts believe to be the best year of all time, Novak compiled an 82-6 winning record, won six Masters 1000 events, and claimed three of the four Grand Slams.

The “Djoker” is in the form of his life.

Ominously for the rest of the field, the Australian Open has always been Djokovic’s most favoured Slam. The searing Melbourne heat and slick plexicushion court surface suit the 10 time Grand Slam champion’s game perfectly. He has already triumphed Down Under on a record equalling five occasions.

Novak Djokovic will take some beating. Click here to compare odds from bookmakers, or grab a free £30 bet when you stake just £10 courtesy of one of our favourite bookmakers Paddy Power.

Next best bet: Roger Federer – 8/1

Roger Federer is a name associated with victory, but in 2015 he was better known as “the nearly man.” Despite lifting six titles, Roger will have been left frustrated with defeat in the finals of Wimbledon, the US Open, and the ATP World Tour Finals.

These losses, predictably, came at the hands of Djokovic, but 2015 did also prove that Federer is the Serb’s most competitive rival. The 17 time Grand Slam Champion managed to down Djokovic in three of their eight meetings last year.

With Andy Murray exhausted from his Davis Cup exploits, and Rafael Nadal still far from his best, Federer looks the clear second favourite for the title. Get the best odds of 11/2 on Murray with Bet 365.

Long shot: Nick Kyrgios – 66/1

Few players made more headlines than Nick Kyrgios last season, and the “bad boy” of men’s tennis could be set to make even more of a name for himself with a good run at the year’s Aussie Open.

Kyrgios isn’t just known for his outspoken nature. He is pretty handy at tennis too. Wins over Federer in Madrid, and Nadal at Wimbledon, have proved that Kyrgios’ all out power game can trouble anybody.

Armed with a lethal serve, and backed by thousands of raucous Aussies, Kyrgios is very much a dark-horse this year. Read more about the Australian Open in our Tennis betting section.

As the Premier League season nears the Christmas period, we’re getting a decent idea as to how this campaign is shaping up. Much of the focus has been on the top of the league, where Leicester City have surprised everyone – including themselves – on their way to reaching the summit of the table after 15 games.

Meanwhile, reigning champions Chelsea’s title defence appears dead after already suffering eight defeats.

But as well as the top of the division, it looks as though we’re going to be in for another fierce relegation battle at the bottom of the league, with as many six or seven teams already being tipped to be in and around the drop zone come May.

So, as we close in on the midway point in the season, which club’s fans should be particularly worried about the prospect of relegation?

Aston Villa: After somewhat circling the drain for the past few seasons, it’s looking increasingly likely that this is the season that finally sees Villa drop out of the top flight of English football for the first time since 1987. Having guided the club to safety last season, Tim Sherwood paid the price for a dismal start to the campaign with his job.

Former Lyon head coach Remi Garde has taken over what has become something of a poison chalice. As short as 1/5 at the time of writing in the Premier League betting to be relegated, it would take a dramatic upturn in fortunes for Villa to produce yet another escape.

   by  ell brown   

Sunderland: Ever since returning to the Premier League in 2007, Sunderland have failed to finish in the top half of the table. The past three seasons have yielded uninspiring and often plain terrifying 17th, 14th and 16th finishes respectively, and it could be even worse this year for the Black Cats.

Following Dick Advocaat’s surprise departure as manager, Sunderland hired Sam Allardyce, initially resulting in an upturn in form. But with just three Premier League wins to their name this season, there is a lot of work for this struggling squad to do if the club are going to turn things around this year.

And while we know it takes a lot to get Big Sam worried, anything other than a run of wins could have the new Sunderland boss beginning to panic.

Newcastle: This season’s issues haven’t come as a surprise to a lot of Newcastle fans but that hasn’t made yet another disappointing start to a Premier League campaign any easier to take for those loyal supporters. Having allowed Alan Pardew to leave for Crystal Palace last January, Newcastle fans were left frustrated by the decision to allow John Carver see out the season as head coach.

The appointment of Steve McClaren in the summer hardly inspired those supporters, and just three wins all season has only worsened the mood currently surrounding St James’ Park. Without those experienced Premier League players who can often be the difference between relegation and survival, another spell in the Championship could be on the horizon for Newcastle fans.

In some respects, Scotland’s hopes of qualifying for Euro 2016 are hanging by a thread. Yet, at the same time, there is an argument to suggest they could be a value bet to make it to France.

The Scottish football betting has Gordon Strachan’s side at 12/1 to reach next summer’s tournament, with just two games left to play in the European Qualifiers.

Scotland are currently fourth in Group D and are four points behind third-placed the Republic of Ireland. Recent back-to-back defeats by Georgia and Germany ended Scotland’s chances of qualifying automatically for the finals, but a play-off place is not beyond them.

A four-point gap with two games to play may seem like a tall order, yet in reality it is really all about the next set of matches when Scotland play Poland at Hampden Park and Ireland face Germany at home.

All Scotland need to do is beat Poland and then hope Ireland fail to beat Germany. Even Scotland should then be confident of winning away against Gibraltar in their final group match and that would secure third spot.

Picking up two wins would put Scotland on 17 points and that’s a tally that both Poland and Ireland can’t beat, providing the scenario above happens. As Scotland would then have a better head-to-head record against Poland and Ireland, that would ensure they take third spot. Read more about the latest odds here.

The question, of course, is can Scotland beat Poland?

History between the two teams is relatively thin on the ground, but Scotland will certainly take heart from their performance in the 2-2 draw in Poland in October last year. Shaun Maloney equalised for Scotland that day before Steven Naismith put them in front, only for Arkadiusz Milik to earn Poland a point.

There was a vibrancy about Scotland’s performance in that game that was missing in the 1-0 defeat in Georgia earlier this month. However, the positive for Strachan is that energy returned in the 3-2 defeat at home by Germany. That performance showed Scotland are capable of pushing the best teams, and it is certainly a reason why they shouldn’t fear anyone if they do make the play-offs.

The big issue facing Strachan for the visit of Poland is whether to stick with Steven Fletcher up front. It would be folly to change tactics in search of the necessary win, as that would make Scotland easy to pick off for a clever Poland side, but he possibly needs more of a threat up front.

Fletcher has only scored against Gibraltar in the qualifying campaign so far and Naismith has put his hand up to show a willingness to play as the lone striker against Poland if required. Having scored a hat-trick against Chelsea, Naismith is in the form to play that role.

Strachan has taken a pragmatic approach throughout qualification and it has been the same regarding whether Scotland can still qualify. There are enough points left to get the job done and Scotland have the potential to do it.

Their last appearance in a major tournament was in the 1998 World Cup in France and there would be a certain symmetry if they were able to repeat the feat. At 12/1 at the time of writing, they are certainly a tempting price.

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Is this the most open Cheltenham Gold Cup of recent times?

Gone are the days where horses like Kauto Star dominated the betting for Cheltenham’s feature race. This year there is a market with a 3/1 favourite in the form of Silviniaco Conti. Whilst the horse’s credentials are clearly warranting of favouritism, there still has to be doubts. With Silviniaco Conti having two previous attempts at clinching the prize and failing both times, surely there has to be doubts about it being third time lucky. Silviniaco Conti appears to be better on a flat track, displayed by his second success in the King George on Boxing Day. Find free bets for the Cheltenham Festival here.

Lord Windermere, On His Own and The Giant Bolster who contested the finish last year are priced at 12/1, 14/1 and 33/1 respectively. All three of these horses would have question marks for different reasons. Lord Windermere ran very disappointingly at Leopardstown last time out but some poor runs prior to last year’s race seemed no obstacle. Lord Windermere really appears to come alive at Cheltenham with wins at the last two festivals.

cheltenham gold cup festival

You have to look back to 1998 and Cool Dawn to find a winner aged ten or older which appears to put doubt over both On his Own and The Giant Bolster. Another horse with age against him is former winner Bobs Worth. With him struggling to replicate his form that saw him win so well in 2013 there appears little value at around 14/1. With doubts over so many of these runners perhaps it is time to look for a new contender.

Three interesting horses are Road To Riches, Many Clouds and Holywell. With Road To Riches last six runs recording four wins and two seconds, he could well be in the in-form horse.  As a horse on the up he really is one to take into account when looking at the market. He is priced at a general 8/1. His win in the Lexus Chase last time showed how well he can see out a three mile trip and this could stand him in good stead for the uphill finish at Cheltenham. Next is the Hennessey Gold Cup winner Many Clouds. Priced at around 10/1 he could well be a serious contender. The Hennessey Gold Cup has been a good trial over the years with horses like Lord Windermere, Bobs Worth and Denman all running in the race before going on to win at Cheltenham in March. Many Clouds put up a very good performance at Cheltenham’s Festival Trials Day, where he beat the good pair of Smad Place and Dynaste. The performance was even more admirable given it was not a fast-paced race and Many Clouds appears to want a true test. Next on the list is Holywell priced generally at 12/1. With his season really failing to take off there would be a risk in backing at this current stage. However if he were to follow his trainer and have a revival he could be one to note. Holywell possess strong course form with wins at the last two festivals. This really could be one of the most open Gold Cups for many years and is certainly a market to follow as we get closer to the big race.

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Desperate Dutch need a result against unfancied Latvians

Hiddinks men should have enough strength to turn around poor run of form

Despite a poor run of results in the EURO qualifiers for Die Oranje, including a 2-0 dismantling at the hands of Gylfi Sigurdsson & co, the difference in quality between these teams means that I can’t really look past a comfortable victory for the Dutch.

Guus Hiddink will certainly be hoping so, having recently suggested that  he would resign if his team suffered defeat at the hands of their Latvian counterparts, although he did go on to say that he was sure the Netherlands would qualify.

Hiddinks men have already suffered two shock defeats, losing 2-1 to the Czech Republic and 2-0 to Iceland. Whilst a 3-1 victory against Kazakhstan means they currently sit third in their group, which would potentially be good enough to see them qualify, Dutch fans and media are dissatisfied with the downturn in form since Louis van Gaal left after guiding them to third place at this summer’s World Cup.

One explanation for this has been the change in tactics used by the Dutch. After looking comfortable using van Gaal’s much heralded 3-5-2, Hiddink has switched to a 4-3-3 formation. Find free bets for this match here.

The extra defender used by Hiddink has not had the desired effect – they have already conceded more goals in three qualifying games (five) than they did in all seven games they played at the World Cup (shipping just four goals).

A win for Latvia would see them leapfrog the Netherlands into third place in the group, giving their fans hope that manager Marians Pahars can mastermind an unlikely push to qualify for the second time in their history (the only time being in 2004, when they returned home winless).

However Pahars’ men face a huge challenge competing with a star-studded Netherlands lineup containing such names as van Persie, Robben and Sneijder. By contrast,the only player most of us will have heard of is their captain Kaspars Gorkss, the former Reading defender who is now a free agent after being released by them this summer.

Whilst a good draw against Turkey in their last fixture proved they may be more of a challenge than most teams expected, the Dutch squad filled with quality attacking players will prove more of a challenge than a Turkey side who currently sit bottom of the group, just below Kazakhstan. With a defence lacking  experience of playing against world class strikers, and a strikeforce which has scored just once in three games, I fully expect the Netherlands to silence their critics by comfortably beating Latvia.

I like the look of a Netherlands win with a -2 handicap at 11/10, as after a bit of a goal drought I feel this could be the game that the Dutch really find their form. The lack of firepower for Latvia, added to their defensive frailties means that it might be worth having a go at a Netherlands 3-0 win, at 11/2.

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Keane and Co Set to Spoil Strachan’s Scottish Revolution.

Republic of Ireland travel to Celtic Park knowing a win will send them seven points clear of the Tartan Army. Qualification looms for the Boys in Green.

We all know that the return of the International scene after a breath-taking few weeks of English football is very rarely well received. However, this weekend’s Euro 2016 Qualification gives a perfect opportunity to rekindle that passion with a blockbuster of a tie, as Scotland host the Republic of Ireland.

Overselling it? Perhaps, but one thing’s for sure: the Group D clash between Ireland and Scotland on Friday night gives an opportunity to win big on any accumulators, specials or match bets. A quick browse over the odds, across a range of sites such as: Bet 365, Betfair, BetFred, reveals that the bookies are all backing the Scots to take full use of the home advantage- with an average of 13/10 for a home win, whilst the boys from the Emerald Isle sit pretty with a projection of 22/10. There are many free bets available for this match from a variety of bookmakers.

This should give great encouragement to back an Irish win as, despite the significant improvement under Strachan, Scotland have so far struggled- particularly in the home tie against Georgia- to both finish their chances and develop on any tactical upheaval the famous Scot has implemented. Having so far taken four points to the Irish seven, they have also failed to place more than 30% of their shots on target, let alone stick them in the back of the net. Indeed, Strachan’s implementation of a rigid 4-5-1 system has certainly given solidity to a previously floppy Scottish backline, yet they look nervous on the attack and too set in stone to adapt to the pressures of a fast-paced breakaway that the Irish will produce.

With the current Ireland a country mile ahead of the team that bumbled along through the previous era of Trappatoni. We’re in the midst of an Irish renaissance as the tactical nous of Martin O’Neill and the hard-nosed determination of Roy Keane is visible in a team that looks both organised, and quick on the counter. This will prove crucial come Friday, as Ireland will be bolstered by the return of a rejuvenated Shane Long, who grabbed two goals at the weekend, and is clearly in contention for a starting berth: he himself sits on 10/3 as an anytime goal scorer. With Long sitting at the top of a 4-2-3-1; aided by the high-flying Aiden McGeady, you have to say that it is too much to ask for Scotland to contain Ireland.

What about the home advantage? Well with Celtic Park being the home to Glasgow’s Boys in Green, you have to feel that there will be a fervent atmosphere that will not be resistant to the Irish, whilst the Celtic presence of Anthony Stokes and veteran McGeady will be well received by the Scot’s crowd.

The depth of talent is also another consideration for your match bet, whilst the Irish can call on fifteen Premier League players, the Scottish can only call on eight. The introduction of new players such as Ranger’s Lewis McLeod and Heart’s Callum Paterson, also leaves Strachan not knowing his best team against O’Neill’s bedded in setup.

Overall, I’m looking for an Ireland win, but the recent signs of improvement from The Tartan Terriers means that they could get themselves on the score sheet, look for both teams to score in a tie of intrigue and passion.

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