Betfair's multiples product is like an Aladdin's Cave

Non-league / Gary Boswell / 11 October 2007 / Leave a Comment

Non-League expert Gary Boswell tells us all about what we can do on the Betfair Multiples product

Boswell's Betfair Blog - a bi-weekly round up of the best plays in the world of non-league football

Been like a kid in a sweet shop all week. Researching games for my Tuesday night slot on Betfair Radio, I noticed first that it was possible to mix Blue Square Premier fixture bets in with selected Football league bets (hence the Leeds/Cambridge BACK double that I gave on the radio) and then whilst I was waiting to go on air and chatting to the technicians, I found that Betfair accept mixed BACK and LAY multiples!

The things you learn whilst waiting in the wings! Betfair's multiples product has been around for well over a year and I never knew that!

It opens up a whole new world. I've always been a fan of the traditional bookmakers Yankee bet -eleven bets permed from four selections - and have a good record as a football tipster showing profit over a season with it. The extra dimension added by being able to build Lays into it has had me sat at the calculator all week working out the ramifications.

Basically it boils down to being a brilliant bet option when you add in the price differential advantage that you traditionally get at Betfair AND the bonus of being able to build the draw into your bet by laying the unfancied rather than backing the fancied.

And Betfair now state that they will be including Blue Square Premier fixtures in their weekly selected lists as a permanent fixture so all we need to do now is work out who's going to win whilst England are toiling their way past Estonia (and France with the oval ball!) this weekend!

LEG 1: Lay Rushden & Diamonds at around 2.7 at home to Forest Green. Diamonds have won just once at home this season and drawn four and look a dour and unimaginative squad reminiscent of manager Garry Hill. They may well get a pasting from the league's top scorer Stuart Fleetwood who is on fire for Forest Green at the moment but the draw is also high on the % possibilities and one to keep on your side.

LEG 2: Lay Aldershot at around 3.3 away at Burton Albion.
This is the match of the day and a serious marker for deciding the Championship. The Shots have a superb away record and Burton have been shipping at the Pirelli lately including three last Saturday against Salisbury. None of Aldershot's away wins, however, have come at top five venues and they were humbled in defence last weekend at Stevenage. I expect Nigel Clough to have done his homework for such a big game and ensure that his usually reliable defence stands firm here. I fancy Burton not to lose and the value is in the Lay price with Aldershot currently at the table summit.

LEG 3: Back Exeter at around 1.72 to win at Northwich Victoria.
No value in the price here but an absolute banker to hang the yankee on with Vics back to total absenteeism in the adequate defending album and new Exeter striker Richard Logan scoring for fun.

LEG 4: Back Salisbury at around 1.7 to beat Altrincham
The Robins are battling against their lowly league status and the Lilywhites are on a two game wobble but the Raymond McEnhill Stadium has been a fortress so far for Nick Holmes' troops and I expect Salisbury to be able to take advantage of the respite from playing teams in the top half.

Betfair fix the prices when you place the bet so it is worth watching and waiting for the best time to post but remember that the first of these games is on Friday evening with all the staggered kick-offs we've got this weekend. Note also that in multiple bets, Betfair guarantee that everything is matched and there are no unmatched items.

Finally a word on staking. With an eleven bet perm like the Yankee, I traditionally use: 1 of a point as my staking unit thus spending 1.1 points in total. This is of course up to your own preferences but remember that Betfair have a £2 minimum staking unit so that you need at least £22 in the pot to stake your Yankee. Two correct brings a consolation prize. Three correct for decent profit (four winning bets) and four correct for all eleven bets and bingo winnings. That's the way I think of it. Played when straight singles look either too short in price or a bit more speculative than I'd like.
Played also though because it's a bet I'm good at. Betfair becomes my sweet shop!