October 2008

Bundesliga Betting: Werder Bremen and Thomas Schaaf in last-chance saloon

Razhan Miran / 31 October 2008 / Leave a comment

Struggling Werder Bremen need a win against Hertha Berlin at the weekend and will probably get it, as will Bayer Leverekusen, says Razhan Miran....Read more »

Obscure Betting Column: Dipping into Romania, Portugal and Serbia

Dave Farrar / 31 October 2008 / Leave a comment

Dave Farrar looks into three fixtures across Europe in his search for value bets....Read more »

Serie A Betting: Carry on Juve...

Dave Farrar / 31 October 2008 / Leave a comment

They're back in form and have key players coming back from injury, so there's no good reason why Juve should be odds-against as they host a struggling Roma, says Dave Farrar. Here are the other best betting opportunities from Serie...Read more »

Ligue 1 Betting: The best counter-attacking side in France

James Eastham / 30 October 2008 / Leave a comment

James Eastham has made 4.42pts profit (after 5% commission) from 19pts staked on Ligue 1 this season. Check out his two high-scoring selections across the weekend's fixtures......Read more »

European League Round-Up: Battle gets tricky for Sergeant Mou

Ben Lyttleton / 30 October 2008 / Leave a comment

Life at Inter is not the cakewalk it was supposed to be for Jose Mourinho, says Ben Lyttleton in his round-up of the midweek European action....Read more »

Serie A Betting: Boom and bust Napoli enjoying the good times again

Jonathan Wilson / 30 October 2008 / Leave a comment

Jonathan Wilson on Italian football's original rollercoaster club....Read more »

Superstition dictates that if I don't score soon I'm binning my boots, say Tommy Mooney

Tommy Mooney / 29 October 2008 / 1 Comments

Marbella's no-nonsense forward Tommy Mooney on a barren spell, the "Four Captains", how John Gorman's book will be essential reading in the Mooney household and why Diego Forlan has come good in Spain....Read more »

"Epoustouflant": Is there any other way to describe glorious Barcelona's 2008 vintage?

Dave Farrar / 29 October 2008 / Leave a comment

Dave Farrar rhapsodises about those amazing men from the Camp Nou - who look primed for a double assault on the Champions League and La Liga....Read more »

European Football Betting: Best of the rest of the midweek European football

Richard Aikman / 28 October 2008 / Leave a comment

Richard Aikman picks the top midweek match from the German Bundesliga, Dutch Eridivisie and Greek Superleague and gives us the best betting opportunities on offer....Read more »

Serie A Betting: Fiorentina to cash in on Inter absentees as champions' form goes AWOL

Dave Farrar / 28 October 2008 / Leave a comment

Eurosport's Dave Farrar picks out the three best matches for betting on from this midweek's offering, including an away tie for Inter Milan at Fiorentina that may just be too hot to handle....Read more »

Ligue 1 Betting: Le Havre to wave the Blanc flag when they visit Bordeaux

James Eastham / 28 October 2008 / Leave a comment

James Eastham talks us through the midweek fixtures in Ligue 1 where Laurent Blanc's Bordeaux are out to seek revenge. Here's why......Read more »

The role of the playmaker still lives

Alsy / 28 October 2008 / Leave a comment

Xavi, Iniesta, Cambiasso, Pirlo and Fabregas are some of the finest exponents of the role of the playmaker in modern football but what attributes do they possess that got them the job in the first place, asks Alister Morgan....Read more »

European Football Betting: Round the world in 600 words

Ben Lyttleton / 27 October 2008 / Leave a comment

Samuel Eto'o can't stop scoring for in-form Barcelona, Inter drop points at home to ten-man Genoa, Lyon may not have it all their own way in France this year and Bayern Munich continue their Bundsliga re-building process. Ben Lyttleton talks...Read more »

Athletic Bilbao v Real Madrid: One of the oldest rivlaries in Spanish football

Dan Fitch / 25 October 2008 / Leave a comment

Woe betide traitorous phyisios this weekend as the ideologies of Basque separatism and Spanish unity come face to face on the football field, writes Dan Fitch....Read more »

Serie A Betting Preview: Milan aim to build on form before Beckham bluster

Dan Fitch / 25 October 2008 / Leave a comment

Dan Fitch doesn't expect Gennaro "the snarl" Gattusso to be too happy about the prospect of being replaced in the Milan side by a man who has been plying his trade in La-La Land....Read more »

Bundesliga Betting: Back Bayern this Saturday and for the Bundesliga whilst the layers are feeling generous

Razhan Miran / 24 October 2008 / Leave a comment

All the talk in Germany this week has for a change been about Michael Ballack rather than Klinsmann. Speaking of Bayern, their winning streak may well continue this weekend but who else should our money be on, asks Razhan Miran....Read more »

Serie A Betting: Oppose Roma when they're down and back plenty of goals in Serie A this weekend

Dave Farrar / 24 October 2008 / Leave a comment

Eurosport's Dave Farrar on a struggling Roma side that needs to be opposed, how AC Milan are back to being the great entertainers and why the commentators will be shouting "golazzzzzzzzo" all weekend....Read more »

The Obscure Betting Column: Enzo Scifo's Mouscron and Van Gaal's AZ amongst this week's featured teams

Ben Lyttleton / 24 October 2008 / Leave a comment

The Obscure Betting Boys Dave Farrar and Ben Lyttleton pick out suitably obscure selections from Holland, Belgium and Slovakia this week....Read more »

Ligue 1 Betting: A rare opportunity to back overs at odds-against

James Eastham / 23 October 2008 / Leave a comment

An attacking approach at Lille and Elie Baup's resurgent "Canaries" will provide your best wagers in Ligue 1 this weekend, writes James Eastham....Read more »

Tommy Mooney: First yellow shows my Spanish is coming on!

Tommy Mooney / 23 October 2008 / Leave a comment

Tommy Mooney considers life after football, his best referees, Uriah Rennie's boot deal and Liverpool's modern talisman in the build-up to Sunday's big game....Read more »

Atletico Madrid: Doomed to a life of flirting with glory yet always finding failure

Jonathan Wilson / 23 October 2008 / Leave a comment

Pressure is already being heaped on Javier Aguirre's shoulders at Atletico Madrid where nothing ever really changes according to Jonathan Wilson....Read more »

UEFA Cup Betting: A grim night in store for the Germans

Richard Aikman / 22 October 2008 / Leave a comment

Quiet over-acheivers of La Liga, Sevilla, have a 100 percent record at home this season and Richard Aikman doesn't expect it to be surrendered to a Stuttgart side who can count themselves lucky to still be in the tournament....Read more »

Breakfast buffet battles and how Higuain saved my bacon

Dave Farrar / 22 October 2008 / Leave a comment

Dave Farrar isn't normally one to embrace betting war stories but here's one of his own that's worth listening to, even if it's just to make the point of what not to do......Read more »

Champions League Betting: How will French clubs fare in Europe?

James Eastham / 21 October 2008 / Leave a comment

All three Ligue 1 sides provide betting opportunities in the Champions League this week, writes James Eastham....Read more »

Champions League Betting: Shakhtar Donetsk v Sporting Lisbon

Dave Farrar / 21 October 2008 / Leave a comment

Shakhtar Donetsk, like many Eastern European teams, can be more than a little naive at times and in the Champions League that will cost you, says Eurosport's Dave Farrar. Go unders on the goals for what should be a tight...Read more »

Champions League Betting: Juventus v Real Madrid

Dave Farrar / 21 October 2008 / Leave a comment

Yes, Juventus lost at the weekend whilst Real won, yes Real have two wins from two in the Champions League and yes Juventus are struggling with injuries but Real are still too short in the betting, says Eurosport's Dave Farrar....Read more »

Champions League Betting: Bankers and blowouts

Matthew Walton / 20 October 2008 / Leave a comment

As Champions League trends begin to reflect those of the domestic game, the capacity to turn the markets upside down by lay betting really comes into its own, says Matthew Walton....Read more »

Football Betting: Around the world in 600 words

Ben Lyttleton / 20 October 2008 / Leave a comment

With the Ballon D'Or shortlist announced on Sunday night, Ben Lyttleton tells us how candidates on the list such as Zlatan Ibrahimovic and David Villa fared this weekend, plus all the major results from this weekend's action from around the...Read more »

Betfair Preview: Athletic Bilbao v Barcelona

Dan Fitch / 19 October 2008 / Leave a comment

Pep Guardiola takes his Barcelona team to Basque country for a fixture they've found tricky of late. Here you can read Dan Fitch's thoughts on the game here....Read more »

Betfair Live Video Preview: Roma v Inter Milan

Dan Fitch / 19 October 2008 / Leave a comment

This clash of the Serie A giants is free to view on Betfair's Live Video service, check Dan Fitch's assessment of the two teams here....Read more »

Honorary Aussie Verbeek takes Socceroos to brink of World Cup qualification

Paul Moon / 19 October 2008 / Leave a comment

Paul Moon waxes lyrical on two subjects close to his heart - Australia and football....Read more »

Obscure Betting Column: Value from around the world

Dave Farrar / 17 October 2008 / Leave a comment

From Prague to Melbourne, Dave Farrar and Ben Lyttleton scour the globe for the best bets in the world football and predict Newcastle's world to be turned upside down even with Dennis Wise thousands of miles away....Read more »

Bundesliga Betting: Only certainty of the weekend is there will be goals as Pizarro's Bremen clash with Dortmund

Razhan Miran / 17 October 2008 / Leave a comment

Razhan Miran talks us through the big stories in German football this week such as the probable international retirement of Kevin Kuranyi and the six points from two matches for Germany, plus of course the best of this weekend's Bundesliga...Read more »

Serie A Betting Preview: "Evil" Bologna can't save Arrigoni so back the thriller of Gomorrah

Dave Farrar / 17 October 2008 / Leave a comment

The desperate Bologna manager's plea for his team to take a walk on the dark side will not be enough to save him against a classy Lazio side. Meanwhile, Dave Farrar is eschewing the big game of the weekend in...Read more »

Betfair Ligue 1 betting column: Sochaux's luck will change in basement battle

James Eastham / 16 October 2008 / Leave a comment

Sochaux and Caen are hardly the biggest names in French football - but they represent your best bets in Ligue 1 this weekend, writes James Eastham....Read more »

World Cup Betting: The fall of the team from the land of the rising sun

Jonathan Wilson / 16 October 2008 / Leave a comment

Jonathan Wilson reports from Japan on the recent fortunes of the national football team that with the inspirational Nakata around promised so much at the start of the century but never quite delivered....Read more »

Serie A Betting: Impatient Palermo unearth a jewel in Ballardini

Dave Farrar / 15 October 2008 / Leave a comment

Early season sacking has given Sacchi disciple a chance to shine in Sicily......Read more »

Tommy Mooney: The Marbella man talks missed opportunities in England, he could have played with Kevin Campbell and Duncan Ferguson you know...

Tommy Mooney / 15 October 2008 / Leave a comment

Our man in Spain looks back on some of the striking moves he could have made and then turns his attention to Wales' fixture with Germany......Read more »

World Cup Betting: Portugal as an example of how everything changes but everything stays the same

Jamie "The Pacman" Pacheco / 14 October 2008 / Leave a comment

Jamie "The Pacman" Pacheco tells us about Portugal's "class of 2008" and why they're good enough to win their qualifying group but unlikely to go all the way in the World Cup....Read more »

The Top 5 costliest penalty misses ever

Jamie "The Pacman" Pacheco / 14 October 2008 / Leave a comment

With a full round of World Cup qualifiers taking place this Wednesday, there will be plenty of penalties scored plus a couple that will inevitably be missed. But any misses are unlikely to be as costly to the team in...Read more »

World Cup 2010 Betting: Belgium v Spain

James Eastham / 14 October 2008 / Leave a comment

Spain have carried on in this qualifying campaign where they left off in Euro 2008 and are three from three with no goals conceded so far but should be odds-on for a tricky away trip to ever-improving Belgium, asks James...Read more »

World Cup 2010 Betting: Norway v Netherlands

James Eastham / 14 October 2008 / Leave a comment

Norway have had a disappointing start to their qualifiying campaign whereas the Netherlands are two wins from two. Arsenal's Robin van Persie should return to the Dutch side after injury to further boost their chances but Aston Villa and Norway's...Read more »

World Cup Betting: Opposing "good things" in the Group Winner markets

Matthew Walton / 13 October 2008 / Leave a comment

"Magical" Matthew Walton gives us past examples of group favourites who failed to win the group and others who didn't qualify for major tournaments at all. As regards betting on group winners for the 2010 World Cup, hard work and...Read more »

Football Betting: Around the world in 600 words

Ben Lyttleton / 13 October 2008 / Leave a comment

Portugal are missing Deco more than they would have thought, goals from Ribery and Yoann Gourcuff saved France and Raymond Domenech's job for the time being and Qatar escape censure for fielding an ineligible player, Ben Lyttleton tells us....Read more »

Offensively, Barcelona is superior to Real Madrid and should be favourites to take the title, says "Maldini"

Julio Maldonado / 10 October 2008 / Leave a comment

Top Spanish presenter and pundit Julio Maldonado, the man they call "Maldini", talks us through the burning issues in spanish football at the moment from Barca's dependance on Lionel Messi to whether a Spain recall for Raul is on the...Read more »

World Cup Qualifiers Betting: A tricky 180 minutes for Germany

Razhan Miran / 10 October 2008 / Leave a comment

Germany should be wary of a Russian masterclass in counter-attacking guile as well as a resilient Wales, says Razhan Miran....Read more »

Bulgaria v Italy: Simone Pepe, Santacroce, Antonio Nocerino et al - welcome to Lippi's brave new world

Dave Farrar / 10 October 2008 / Leave a comment

Dave Farrar talks us through the notable ommissions and the surprise inclusions of Marcello Lippi's Italy squad set to face Bulgaria. And it's a tough one to call on the betting front....Read more »

World Cup Qualifiers Betting: Portugal boosted by Ronaldo return

Robert Hughes / 10 October 2008 / Leave a comment

From Europe to South America, Robert Hughes scours the globe to find value in this weekend's internationals....Read more »

The Obscure Betting Column: Cash in on Cyprus and Israel

Dave Farrar / 10 October 2008 / Leave a comment

The Obscure Betting Boys Dave Farrar and Ben Lyttleton invite us to look at good betting opportunities in a few of the somewhat less glamorous ties of the International Footbal weekend......Read more »

World Cup Qualifying Betting: France v Romania

James Eastham / 09 October 2008 / Leave a comment

The last meeting between these teams almost sent one pundit to sleep.... but defensive frailties ought to ensure more goals this Saturday night, writes James Eastham....Read more »

England v Kazakhstan World Cup Qualifier - Read the betting superfacts before gambling!

Joe Dyer / 09 October 2008 / Leave a comment

If you're playing the odds in England's qualifier on Saturday you might want to check these punting pointers......Read more »

World Cup Qualifying: Hogli the man to get Norway yoiking again

Jonathan Wilson / 09 October 2008 / Leave a comment

Jonathan Wilson on Norway's burgeoning young right-back - who already has a World Cup winner's medal to his name....Read more »

UEFA Cup Betting: Pompey land glamour tie but tough trips await

Nik Wardle / 08 October 2008 / Leave a comment

Pompey fans will be rubbing their hands at the prospect of Kaka, Ronaldinho et al at Fratton Park but the visit of the Rossoneri could hinder their progress, says Nik Wardle....Read more »

David Beckham - The end of the fairytale career is nigh

Jamie "The Pacman" Pacheco / 07 October 2008 / Leave a comment

Jamie "The Pacman" Pacheco looks at the career highs and lows of David Beckham and urges his fans to make the most of his remaining time as a player, because one of the most colourful footballing careers ever is coming...Read more »

Ligue 1 Orange Betting: The Leagues's three real match-winners

James Eastham / 07 October 2008 / Leave a comment

Who are the three most important players in Ligue 1 right now? The answers are surprising, writes James Eastham....Read more »

Serie A Top Three: Three from five and Juve could be one of the two missing out

Matthew Walton / 06 October 2008 / Leave a comment

"Magical" Matthew Walton crunches the numbers in search of betting value in the serie A top three market....Read more »

Football Betting: Around the world in 600 words

Ben Lyttleton / 06 October 2008 / Leave a comment

As Barcelona put in their best performance of the season so far with a 6-1 demolition job of Atletico Madrid, Juventus were losing at home to Palermo and the inevitable calls for the resignation of Claudio Ranieri are coming thick...Read more »

Bundesliga Betting Preview: Hamburg look to return to the top

Razhan Miran / 05 October 2008 / Leave a comment

Solid at the back and dangerous up front, Martin Jol's side are improving with every game, says Razhan Miran....Read more »

La Liga Betting: Barcelona v Atletico Madrid

Richard Aikman / 03 October 2008 / Leave a comment

It's Barca v Atletico Madrid though some would say it's Messi v Aguero, the two biggest superstars of Argentinean football at present. Who will come out on top, asks Richard Aikman....Read more »

Serie A Betting: Continue to oppose Inter whilst they continue to be overrated

Dave Farrar / 03 October 2008 / Leave a comment

Eurosport's Dave Farrar gives us the lowdown on the weekend's Serie A action which includes further potential trouble for Jose Mourinho's Inter Milan....Read more »

The Obscure Betting Column: Turkish, Ukranian and Bulgarian football on the radar

Dave Farrar / 03 October 2008 / Leave a comment

Previews of the Premiership, Bundesliga and Serie A can be found elsewhere on betting.betfair.com. But if it's obscure football matches you're interested in, look no further than this column. Dave Farrar and Ben Lyttlton talk us through it all....Read more »

Ligue 1 betting column: Peerless Lyon need no time to refuel

James Eastham / 02 October 2008 / Leave a comment

James Eastham has made 5.12pts profit (after 5% commission) on 12pts staked on French clubs in all competitions this season. Here are his selections on this weekend's Ligue 1 fixtures......Read more »

Hernan Crespo: The striker who keeps it simple but is forever misunderstood

Jonathan Wilson / 02 October 2008 / Leave a comment

Argentinian striker wins competition and scores goals wherever he goes, so why is he never loved by fans, coaches or fellow players?...Read more »

Champions League: A Messi affair for Barca layers at 80

Jamie "The Pacman" Pacheco / 01 October 2008 / Leave a comment

Whoever it is who writes Lionel Messi's scripts is no friend of Barcelona's layers on Betfair if the Argentinian superstar's last-gasp winner against Shakhtar Donetsk is anything to go by - Barcelona touched 80 on the match odds market to...Read more »

UEFA Cup Betting: Italian masters of the Machiavellian arts

Richard Aikman / 01 October 2008 / Leave a comment

Richard Aikman fancies that Udinese will hit Dortmund on the break while Napoli could find their tie with in-form Benfica a bridge too far....Read more »

Snap up sizeable overs odds on Klinsmann's Bayern now!

Andrew Atherley / 01 October 2008 / Leave a comment

After transforming Germany from clinical to cavalier, Jurgen Klinsmann is now turning Bayern Munich into an over-2.5 goals backer's dream, says Andrew Atherley....Read more »